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    "title": "Historic American Buildings Survey: Georgetown Architecture, 1963-1970",
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    "ocrText": "129.74:G 29/4\n14/4\nClemson University\n3 1604 019 773 565\nGeorgetown\nArchitecture\nTHE\nWATERFRONT\n(MADISON\nsry\nOAK HILL CEMETERY\nALL\nP.S.\nGEORGETOWN COLLEGE\n1.5\nCOLLEGE\n(BRIDGE\n5.)\n\")\nM.S°\n$ 1\nAve\nICONDRESS\nEVERSON\nU.S.\nWAS\nMAP\nPOTOMAC\nKS:\nOF\nGEORGETOWN D.C.\nScale 300 R 10 / mch\nPublished by\nFAEHTZ & PRATT\n1874.\nSELECTIONS FROM THE HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY NUMBER 4\nGEORGETOWN ARCHITECTURE - THE WATERFRONT\nNorthwest Washington, District of Columbia\nHistoric American Buildings Survey Selections\nNumber 4\nIssued Jointly By\nTHE COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS\nRoom 7000, Interior Building\n18th and C Streets, N. W. - Washington, D. C. 20240\nand\nTHE HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nUnited States Department of the Interior\nNational Park Service\nOffice of Archeology and Historic Preservation\n801 19th Street, N. W. - Washington, D. C. 20006\n1968\nI\nTABLE OF CONTENTS\nI Table of Contents\nPage ii\nII Introduction\n1\nIII Selections from the Historic American Buildings\nSurvey Washington, D. C. Records\nWASHINGTON, D. C.\nGEORGETOWN\nBrickyard Hill House, 3134 South Street, N. W.\n11\nJoseph Carleton House, 1052-1054 Potomac\nStreet, N. W.\n27\nMcCleery House, 1068 30th Street, N. W.\n39\nAdams-Mason House, 1072 Thomas Jefferson\nStreet, N. W.\n55\nPotomac Lodge No. 5, 1058 Thomas Jefferson\nStreet, N. W.\n71\nFederal House, 1069 Thomas Jefferson Street,\nN.W.\n87\nFederal House, 1063 Thomas Jefferson Street,\nN. W.\n103\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal, South of M Street,\nN. W.\n107\nTowpath Apartments, 1061 31st Street, N. W.\n127\nCanal Warehouse, Entrance at 3222 M Street,\nN. W.\n133\nThe Potomac Aqueduct, West of Key Bridge.\n141\nii\nBomford's Mill, 3261 K Street, N. W.\n161\nRay's Warehouse and Office, 3260-3262 K\nStreet, N. W.\n181\nDuvall Foundry, 1050 30th Street, N. W.\n199\nWarring's Barrel House, 3256 K Street, N. W.\n215\nBirch Funeral Home, 3034 M Street, N. W.\n219\nFederal/Victorian House Pair, 1066-1068 31st\nStreet, N. W.\n231\nPotomac Manufacturing Co., 1050 Potomac\nStreet, N. W.\n235\nWheatley Row House, 1018 29th Street, N. W.\n239\nRow Houses, 1058-1066 30th Street, N. W.\n1 257\nRow Houses, 3221-3202 Cherry Hill, N. W., and\n1033-1043 Cecil Place, N. W.\n261\nLibby Row Houses, 1021-1037 30th Street, N. W.\n265\nWashington Canoe Club, West end of K Street,\nN. W.\n269\nCapital Traction Co. Powerhouse, 3142 K Street,\nN.W.\n273\nMAP of the Georgetown waterfront\n124\nIV APPENDIX\n293\niii\nDigitized by the Internet Archive\nin 2012 with funding from\nLYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation\nhttp://archive.org/details/georgetownarchit04comm\nINTRODUCTION\nOf all the historic areas in Georgetown, the waterfront has undoubtedly\nchanged the most in the past hundred years. This is due not just to\nthe natural attrition of old buildings as they are gradually replaced\nby new, but especially to the very nature of the waterfront as the\ntown's commercial and industrial area. It has changed as rapidly as\nhas American industry and commerce since the 18th century.\nUnlike many streets in Georgetown that remain just as they were when\nbuilt, the waterfront has been almost completely transformed. A photo-\ngraph of the shore in about 1862 shows rows of brick warehouses for\nflour, tobacco, and merchandise (figure 1.) By 1967 this same area had\nbeen transformed by a powerhouse, a railroad storage yard, and an ele-\nvated freeway (figure 2.) Only one dwelling, the Brickyard Hill House\na block away, remains to link the two periods.\nThe Historic American Buildings Survey and the Commission of Fine Arts\nare both involved in the documentation of Georgetown, and especially\nthe waterfront area that continues to change so rapidly.\nThe Historic American Buildings Survey was begun in 1933 as a \"long\nrange plan for assembling an archive of historic American architecture,\"\nunder the sponsorship of the National Park Service, the American Insti-\ntute of Architects, and the Library of Congress. A wide variety of\nstructures all over the United States was selected, with priority given\nto those buildings in danger of destruction. In its first year, the\nHistoric American Buildings Survey recorded the Francis Scott Key mansion\nat 3518 M Street, in Georgetown, with eight sheets of measured drawings.\nBy 1942 HABS had recorded 34 structures and a mausoleum, primarily with\ndrawings and photographs. The Second World War curtailed this documen-\ntation, and it was not until 1957 that HABS was reactivated.\nIn 1950, when the Old Georgetown Act was passed (see appendix), the\nCommission of Fine Arts also became closely involved in Georgetown\narchitecture. The Commission, established by Congress in 1910 as an\nadvisory agency for governmental artistic and architectural matters,\nwas now empowered to establish a review board for all \"construction,\nalteration, reconstruction, or razing\" in the Old Georgetown District.\nThis act had been sponsored in 1949 by a group of Georgetown citizens\nwho were deeply concerned about the demolition of several important\nold structures and the increased alteration of others in an area of\nunique architectural flavor. They wished, as the act states, \"to\npromote the general welfare and\npreserve and protect the places and\nareas of historic interest.\"\n1\nFigure 1. Georgetown waterfront, foot of Wisconsin Ave. About 1862.\nFigure 2. Georgetown Waterfront, foot of Wisconsin Ave., in 1968.\n2\nThe act also stated that a survey was to be made of the old George-\ntown area, for the use of the Commission of Fine Arts and the building\npermit office. This portion was not acted upon, however, and in January,\n1966 the Commission of Fine Arts began its own study of the northwest\nsection of Georgetown with the assistance of many enthusiastic local\nvolunteers. Later in 1966 the Commission, in cooperation with the\nHistoric American Buildings Survey, planned a HABS summer project on\nthe commercial architecture of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue of George-\ntown, one of the most rapidly changing sections of the city. Twenty-\nsix structures were recorded by historical data, architectural descrip-\ntions, and photographs, and were published in 1967 as numbers 2 and 3\nin \"Selections from the Historic American Buildings Survey.\" These\nPhoto-Data Books enabled both the Commission and the building permit\noffice to carry out the Old Georgetown Act more effectively, and were\na welcome addition to the growing collection of the Historic American\nBuildings Survey in the Library of Congress, which documents over\n13,000 structures.\nIn 1967 a second HABS summer project was inaugurated jointly to record\nthe waterfront area: fifteen structures were recorded in Photo-Data\nBooks and nine on shorter HABS Inventory forms. This group becomes\nnumber 4 in the \"Selections from the Historic American Buildings Survey.\"\nData from this summer's work formed a basis for the booklet Georgetown\nHistoric Waterfront published by the Commission of Fine Arts and the\nOffice of Archeology and Historic Preservation in 1968. And in 1968\na third joint summer project was begun, on the remaining northeast\nsection of Georgetown.\nBesides the concern that the Commission and HABS has for documenting\ndisappearing or changing structures, the Commission has several other\nconcerns that these studies help to clarify. In the administration of\nthe Old Georgetown Act there are three aspects that need continuing\ninvestigation. These are first, the quality of non-Federal architecture,\nfrom the remainder of the 19th century, when the Capital was growing\nfastest. Although Georgetown is called the \"Federal City,\" it is in\nfact far more a \"Victorian City.\" The land south of M Street to the\nPotomac has over 300 buildings, of which only about 15, or less than\n5% can be considered Federal in date.\nA second concern is that of new buildings in this Historic District, a\nproblem which has been discussed and pondered by the Georgetown board\nsince 1950. A third difficulty is how old buildings can be reused in\norder to maintain the essential character of a unique area, and con-\ntribute to the present well-being of Georgetown. Examples of each of\nthese problems from the waterfront area will illustrate this.\nFollowing the Federal period there is a long and animated succession\nof later styles. Each generation evolved its own architectural forms,\nwhich changed thus from decade to decade, and often an older building\n3\nFigure 3. 1066-1068 31st Street N. W. August 1967.\nFigure 4. 1066-1068 31st Street N. W. August 1968.\n4\nwas remodeled in a more \"contemporary\" style. We find such an example\nat 1066-1068 31st Street, N.W. (figures 3-4). Here two frame Federal\nhouses, which deeds show were standing by 1835, were modernized about\n1860 or 1870 by the addition of a heavy cornice, and caps over the\ndoors and windows. The Italianate Bracketed style gave a far more\nimpressive and historically allusive facade to what were simply plain\nframe dwellings. In 1968, however, most of this subsequent trim was\nremoved from one of the houses in an attempt to Federalize it. The\nresult is neither Federal nor Victorian. Elsewhere in Georgetown\nthere are great numbers of attractive later 19th century buildings,\nsome of which have been turned into \"Federal\" structures (as at 1506\nWisconsin Avenue) with no historical justification. While Federal\nbuildings are rarest and of course deserve special attention, it\nshould not be forgotten that throughout the 19th century other viable\nstyles were employed, to which these summer surveys hope to call more\nattention.\nThe problem of integrating new structures into the old district is\nequally difficult. One example is the motel at 1075 Thomas Jefferson\nStreet (figure 5) complete in 1967. It is quite clear that despite\nits very beautiful brickwork, dozens of 6 over 9 wooden sash windows,\nand Federal string courses and cornice, it simply does not fit into\nthe Georgetown of the Historic District. We may ask, then, what are\nsome of the elements that give Georgetown its character, and which the\nact seeks to protect. One factor is the architectural homogeneity of\nscale and size. This is due to the height limit to which a person\ncan walk comfortably, the normal lot size of 15 to 25 feet wide,\nsimilarity of materials, and the concept of a facade as a wall with\npierced openings for windows rather than a solid expanse of glass.\nAnother modern example in Northeast Georgetown (figure 6) completed\nin 1968 shows that this unity is not dependent on style alone. No 6\nover 9 windows, wooden casements, or brick string courses are em-\nployed, but the house blends perfectly with its neighbors, and carries\nforth the 19th century tradition of each generation adapting its own\nstyle harmoniously. Thus the blending of the new with the old is not\none of simple imitation of some previous style, but of building in\nsympathy with that style.\nThe third problem which is more pressing in the waterfront area, which\nis zoned commercial and light industrial, is the present-day use of\nold structures. Several small firms, as at 1058 Thomas Jefferson\nStreet or 1025 33rd Street have rebuilt the interiors of old buildings\nto use as professional offices. But with larger businesses the\nproblem is different. One obvious solution is to convert old ware-\nhouses, or to incorporate existing old structures into larger develop-\nments. This is the method used in plans for the area at 31st Street\nand the C. and O. Canal, where office buildings and shops will be built\n5\nFigure 5. (left)\nMotel at 1075 Thomas Jefferson Street N. W.\nFigure 6. (below)\nResidence at 1348 27th Street N. W.\n9\nin a congenial style behind existing warehouses (figures 7 and 8.).\nThese old structures, rebuilt inside, will thus help mask the newer\nstructures and at the same time serve a useful purpose without materially\nchanging the appearance of the area. This is the sort of sympathetic\nadaptation which actually enhances a neighborhood.\nIn order to help resolve these three common problems, considerable\ninformation on the variety of buildings in the Historic District is\nneeded; these joint surveys help meet this need. They further show\nthe rich variety of 19th century building styles and types that can\nexist happily together in one neighborhood: not simply brick or frame\nhomes, but row houses, large mills and warehouses, a masonic lodge,\nan operable canal, a powerhouse, and a canoe club. This emphasizes as\nwell that it is not just the private house that deserves historical\nattention, but industrial and commercial buildings, works of engineering,\nand even the urban arrangement. These all are now claiming much\nbroader professional attention. The architectural variety in this\nold commercial area tells us much about the history of Georgetown, as\nwell as the growth of the architectural styles in the past century.\nDaniel D. Reiff\nCommission of Fine Arts\nSeptember, 1968.\n7\nVISIBILITY OF\nNEW STRUCTURE\n8\nFigure 7. (above)\nassis:\nWarehouse on C. E O. Canal at 31st Street N. W.\nFigure 8. (right)\nProposed treatment of the same warehouse.\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\n3134 South Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-158\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nLocation:\n3134-3136 South Street, N.W., (Georgetown) Washington,\nD.C., south side of street opposite Grace Episcopal\nChurch. (South Street possibly was created on the\ndivision of Robert Peter's land between his sons about\n1806.) This data book deals only with 3134 South St.,\nthe eastern half of the two family house.\nPresent Owner:\nRichard N. Tetlie\nPresent Occupant: Richard N. Tetlie\nPresent Use:\nPrivate residence.\nStatement of\nA well preserved detached frame house of early date\nSignificance:\n(ca. 1800) now very rare in the Waterfront district.\nOwned and probably built by the Peter family.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The building is located in\nSquare 1189 lot 827 (formerly 806) in the old Peter's Square\n(old Square 19 lot 52). The following is an incomplete chain\nof title to the land on which the house was built. N.B.: 3136\nSouth St. is lot 826 (old lot 57).\n1806 Will of Robert Peter Sr. dated May 10, 1802 (codicile\nin 1804 and 1805) recorded November 29, 1806 in\nWill Book 1, folio 140 ( #280 and 293 0. S.)\n1811 Will of Robert Peter (Jr.) dated June 23, 1809\nletters testamemtary February 13, 1811 in\nWill Book 1, folio 169.\n\"Item: I give and devise to my Brother David Peter\nIn fee simple the house and the ground thereto attached\nbeing the East House of the two now under rent to Mr.\nDavid M. Erskine and which fell to me in a late division\nof my Father's real estate and was valued at $6000.\nIt is my wish that if William the son of the said David\nshall attain to the age of 21 yrs. that the said\nDavid give it to him, or if he may think it best to\nsell the said property and vest the proceeds thereof\nto other funds or lay it out in lands for the use of\nthe said William to do so, but of this he is to exercise\nhis own judgement. It being my more particular desire\nthat the said Davidmay either keep it or dispose of\n11\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 2)\nof it as he may think best.\" (This may be the house\nin question.) David and Thomas were executors of\nthe Robert Peter, Jr. will. Other property was also\nconveyed to George Peter and Thomas Peter.\n1812 Deed of Partition June 14, 1812 recorded October 17, 1812 in\nLiber AD folio 319\nThomas Peter et ux Martha\nDavid Peter et ux Sarah\nGeorge Peter et ux Anna\nMargaret Dick\n(sister of Robert Peter Jr.)\nThis deed is torn and much is missing; lot 52 is not\nfound but lot 57 on Fishing lane goes to Thomas Peter.\n(Made on the death of Robert Peter.)\n1829 Deed in Trust September 16, 1829 recorded December 9, 1829\nin Liber WB 28 folio 181\nThomas Peter\nTo\nRichard Smith\nBank of U. S.\nAmong 20 lots in Georgetown and other property lot 52\n(\"fronting on S. Street in Peter's Sq.\") Deed of\nLiber WB folio 139 of June 28, 1830 confirms the\nabove and gives him further power to sell.\n1831 Deed May 2, 1832 recorded November 3, 1831 in\nLiber WB 41 folio 20\nRichard Smith, trustee (Bank of U. S.)\nTo\nClement Smith\n\"Lot 52 in Peter's Square, fronting 37'8 1/4\" on South\nSt., and running back 120' to 12' alley.\" Sold under\ntrust from Thomas Peter, of September 16, 1829.\n1832 Deed May 1, 1832 recorded June 4, 1832 in\nLiber WB 41 folio 165\nClement Smith\nTo\nPeter Vonessen (also Von Essen)\n1833 Deed May 16, 1833 recorded May 24, 1833 in\nLiber WB 46 folio 119\nPeter Vonessen\nTo\nWilliam Vanscuyver\nWest 1/2 of lot 52 in Peters Square in Georgetown,\nsaid lot fronting 37 ft. 8 1/4 inches. Consideration\n$500.\n12\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 3)\n1866 Will dated January 30, 1866, probated September 1, 1866\nWill Book 10 page 230.\nPeter Vonessen\nTo\nFrancis Vonessen Essex et ux Mary\nConveys \"my house on South Street, or what was known as\nBrickyard Hill, between Congress and High Streets\n1898 Deed June 27, 1898 recorded July 13, 1898 in\nLiber 3216 folio 435\nHattie C. Rubenacker et vir George\nTo\nStephen E. Essex\nHattie Rubenacker and Francis B. Essex were heirs of\nFrancis Vonessen Essex. Conveys all their rights,\ntitle and interest etc. in \"Premises known as 22 South\nStreet, lot 52.\"\n1898 Deed January 18, 1896 recorded December 28, 1898 in\nLiber 2374 folio 81\nDistrict of Columbia\nTo\nJames E. Padgett (trustee)\n(1892, 1893 and 1896 - tax sales)\n1898 Deed of December 27, 1898 recorded December 28, 1898 in\nLiber 2374 folio 83\nJames E. Padgett (trustee)\nTo\nStephen E. Essex\n\"The east 18.83' front of lot 52 by full depth.\"\n1902 Deed November 17, 1902 recorded November 21, 1902 in\nLiber 2689 folie 264\nFrancis B. Essex et ux Ida M.\nTo\nStephen E. Essex\nEast half of lot 52.\n1921 Deed January 29, 1921 recorded February 4, 1921 in\nLiber 4494 folio 210\nStephen E. Essex\nTo\nCharles H. A. and Dona A. V. Montgomery (joint tenants)\n1946 Deed February 18, 1946 recorded February 26, 1946 in\nLiber 8224 folio 467\nCharles H. A. Montgomery et ux Dora A. V.\nTo\nMilo H. Brinkley\nMary Brinkley Reid, daughter (joint tenants)\n13\n319-731 O-68-2\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 4)\n1950 Deed September 8, 1950 recorded September 13, 1950 in\nLiber 9294 folio 540\nMilo H. Brinkley, Mary Brinkley Reid,\nDaughter, joint tenants\nTo\nRussell M. Thornton et ux Bernice C.\nTenants by Entirety\nEast 1/2 of lot 52, among other property.\n1951 Deed August 29, 1951 recorded September 14, 1951 in\nLiber 9554 folio 566\nRussell M. Thornton et ux Bernice C.\nTenants by Entirety\nTo\nRob Roy McGregor et ux Mary Osburn\nTenants by Entirety\n1952 Deed March 28, 1952 recorded April 1, 1952, in\nLiber 9681 folio 453\nRob Roy McGregor et ux Mary Osburn,\nTenants by Entirety\nTo\nGeorge J. Mishtowt et ux Jacoba R.\nTenants by Entirety\nStamps $30.25\n1957 Deed January 31, 1957 recorded February 15, 1957 in\nLiber 10806 folio 617\nGeorge I. Mishtowt et ux Jacoba R.\nTo\nRichard N. Tetlie\n2. Date of erection: About 1800. Although the assessment records\ndo not specify this house, from the wills of Robert Peter Sr.\nand Jr. it appears to have been in the family since built,\nsince it lies within the original \"Peter's Square.\"\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: Few alterations have been made:\nthe wide south windows on the second story are from a later\ndate than the original construction; a modern kitchen is in\na one story wing on the southeast corner.\n6. Important old views: The house appears in the civil war\nphotograph taken from Theodore Roosevelt Island, about 1861-62\nby George N. Barnard (LC-USZ62-4571). Examination of the view\nfrom the same site today confirms this.\n14\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 5)\nB. Historical events connected with the structure:\n1. Biographical notes on the Peter family:\nNo account of Georgetown can omit reference to the Peter\nfamily, among the earliest families to settle in the area,\nand who were--and still are--continually active in the life\nof the town. Two of the most illustrious members were Robert\nPeter (Sr.) and Thomas Peter, one of his sons.\nRobert Peter, bòrn in Scotland about 1726, at Crossbasket,\nnear Glasgow, came to Georgetown to set up business as a tobacco\nmerchant. In 1752 he was \"the agent of the famous firm of\nJohn Glassford and Co. of North Britain, which monopolized in\nlarge part the Potomac river Tobacco Trade.\" (Records of the\nColumbia Historical Society, V. 33-34, p. 139). This firm\nhad a good market in England and Scotland. \"A careful, thrifty\nScot, he prospered and soon acquired considerable property in\nGeorge-Town and also extensive land holdings elsewhere in the\nneighborhood. He was very much to the fore in public matters\nand in 1757, became one of the George-Town Commissioners.\"\n(Harold Donaldson Eberlein, and Cortland Van Dyke Hubbard,\nHistoric Houses of George-Town & Washington City, Richmond,\nThe Dietz Press, 1958, p. 324.) Other sources say that he\nwas commissioner from 1759 to 1789. He became the first mayor\nof Georgetown on January 5, 1790. \"At the age of forty [i.e.\nabout 1766], he married Elizabeth Scott, daughter of George\nScott, High Sheriff of Prince George's County.\" (Eberlein\nand Hubbard, p. 342.) Robert Peter, together with Charles\nBeatty and John Threlkeld made the \"Peter, Beatty, and Threl-\nkeld Addition\" to the west of Georgetown in 1784.\nRobert Peter owned much land around Rock Creek and throughout\nGeorgetown, and was one of the \"original proprietors\" of land\nthat was taken for the Federal City. He was one of the active\nparticipants in encouraging the land opposite Georgetown be\nchosen as the site of the Capital. He was one of the signers\nof an influential letter sent to George Washington on October\n13, 1790. The leading merchants of Georgetown suggested that\nthe site of the proposed Federal City be on the land opposite\nGeorgetown across Rock Creek, for Georgetown was already an\nestablished port, with people and money, and the landscape\non the proposed site was varied, with both flat and hilly\nterrain, and being so close to Georgetown could not help but\nsell well.\n\"We the subscribers, do hereby agree to sell and make over\nby sufficient Deeds, in any manner which shall be directed\nby General Washington, or any person acting under him, and on\nsuch terms as he shall determine to be reasonable and just;\n15\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 6)\nand of the Lands which we possess in the vicinity of George\nTown, for the uses of the Federal City, provided the same\nshall be erected in the said vicinity.\"\nIt was signed by the following: Robert Peter \"for one hundred\nacres should so much of mine be that necessary\"; Tho. Beall\nof Geo.; Benj Stoddert; Uriah Forrest; Will Deakins, Junr;\nJohn Threlkeld \"any land on the north side of my meadow\";\nJ M Lingan; George Beall; and Anthony Holmead. (\"Origin of\nthe Federal City,\" by Allen C. Clark, CHS, V. 35-36, p. 26).\nA letter from George Washington (in Philadelphia) to Robert\nPeter on July 24th, 1791 shows his active spirit of commercial\nprogress:\n\"Sir, I have received your favor of the 20th. Inst. proposing\nthe building of warves at the new City, between Rock Creek\nand Hamburgh; the proposition certainly is worthy of consideration,\nand as the transaction of what may concern the public at that\nplace in future is now turned over to the Commissioners, I\nenclose your letter to them, to do thereon, what they shall\nthink best. To them therefore I take the liberty of referring\nyou for an answer.\" (CHS, v. 17, pp. 28-29.)\nMuch of this land along Rock Creek belonged to Robert Peter,\nand included land bounded by the Potomac River, New Hampshire\nAvenue, H and K Streets. In the colored engraving by T. Cart-\nwright, London, after the drawing by George Beck of Philadelphia\nentitled \"George Town and Federal City, or City of Washington,\"\nthe buildings at the mouth of Rock Creek, facing the Georgetown\nshore, are said to be his house and tobacco shed. (Print\npublished by Atkins & Nightengale, London and Philadelphia,\n1801)\nAbout 1795 Robert Peter built a row of 6 houses on K Street,\nand gave the house now No. 2618 K Street to his eldest son\nThomas upon his marriage.\nGeorgetown assessments records of 1800 to 1807 give a good\npicture of Robert Peter's holdings about 1800 (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, Group 351, roll 7).\nSquare bound by Water and Bridge Street and\nFishing lain with improvements\n25,000\n1 lot with improvements\n800\n3 lots in Beatty and Hawkins addition\n400\n14 negroes\n1,200\n3 horses\n160\n5 COWS\n60\nfurniture\n300\n$28,420\n16\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 7)\nA second assessment during this same period of 1800-1807 shows\nthat his property holdings were extensive, and that he apparently\nleased or rented many of the buildings he owned.\n1 lot on Water Street\n800\n1 lot improved on Jefferson St.\n1,000\n3 lots on Jefferson St.\n1,000\n1 improved lot on Beall St. [0 St.]\n600\n1 improved lot on Water St.--stable\n3,260\n1 improved lot on Water St.--tavern\n2,864\n1/2 lot on Water St. [K St.]\n528\n1 lot improved on Water St. your dwelling\n5,088\n1 lot improved on Water St. Cromwells\n1,500\n1 lot on Bridge (M) St.\n1,340\n1 improved lot on Bridge St. Daniels\n1,940\n1 improved lot on Bridge St. Longs\n2,260\n1 lot improved on Fishing Lane, Allens\n1,119\n1 lot on Fishing Lane\n445\n1 lot on Wapping improved--stone house\n4,380\nIn addition to this, 'various negroes' and other property brought\nit to a grand total of $29,809.\nRobert Peter died on November 15, 1806, \"aged 80 years\" (CHS\nV. 21, p. 146.)\nThomas Peter, eldest son of Robert Peter, was born in 1768.\nIn 1793 he was one of the incorporators of the Bank of Columbia\nthat was chartered by the Maryland legislature to handle the\nfinancial affairs of the Federal City Commissioners, and also\nof those people buying lots in the new capital.\nIn 1795 Thomas Peter received the house at 2618 K Street N.W.\nfrom his father upon his marriage to Martha Parke Custis.\n\"There the young couple went to housekeeping, and there it was\nthat General Washington often spent the night when he came up\nfrom Mount Vernon. In fact, the last time he spent the night\nin Washington City before his death, he stayed with the Peters.\"\n(Eberlein and Hubbard, p. 343.) In 1799 his wife, one of the\ngrand-daughters of Martha Washington inherited a considerable\nlegacy upon the death of George Washington. With the aid of\nthis, in 1805 the Thomas Peters bought \"Tudor Place\" at 31st\nand Q Streets in Georgetown, a fine estate begun in 1794 by\nthe wealthy shipping merchant Francis Lowndes. The completion\nof the estate was entrusted to Dr. Thornton, their friend,\nwho was the first architect of the Capitol.\nIt was during this period that he was one of the Stewards of\nthe Washington Jockey Club, and he is listed as such in an\n17\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 8)\nadvertisement in the National Intelligencer of Sept. 17th,\n1808 which gave \"notice of the races to be held on October\n28th and the two following days.\" (Eberlein and Hubbard, p. 55)\nIn 1815 Tudor Place was completed, and was one of the finest\nestates of the period. A letter of George Ticknor of February\n1815 gives a glimpse of life with the Peters:\n\"This evening, Mr. Sullivan, Colonel Perkins, and myself\npassed delightfully at Mr. Thomas Peters, who married Miss\n[Martha] Custis They are both of the Boston stamp in\npolitics; and while Mr. Peter, as an extraordinary treat for\nan extraordinary occasion, regaled the 'delegates' with a\nbottle of wine from General Washington's cellar, Mrs. Peter\ngave me an account of her grandfather's mode of life and\nintercourse with his family\n\"Mrs. Peter also gave us, with a good deal of vivacity, the\nbest account I ever heard of the proceedings of the British\nat the capture of Washington; for, as she said, she was too\nmuch of a Tory to run, and therefore was an eye-witness of\nwhat happened.\" (Eberlein and Hubbard, p. 126)\nDuring the burning of the Capitol, Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Thornton,\nat whose house (according to Mrs. Thornton's diary) Mr. Thomas\nPeter often dined when in Washington, watched the conflagration\nfrom the windows of Tudor Place.\n\"Thomas Peter was no less staunch a Federalist than his wife.\nFrom time to time his name appears along with others of those,\nof the same political convictions, who sponsored one or another\npublic undertaking or social duty. He was keenly interested\nin the Washington Jockey Club, and, under the presidency of\nColonel John Tayloe, he acted as one of the stewards at the\nraces on the Meridian Hill Track.\" (Eberlein and Hubbard,\np. 131)\n2. Biographical notes on Richard and Clement Smith:\nRichard Smith held 3134 South St. in trust from 1830 to 1832, at\nwhich time he deeded it to his brother Clement Smith, who held\nit for only a few months. We can assume that this was all part\nof the process of transaction, for both Smiths were bankers.\nRichard Smith was a cashier (1848) of the Bank of the Metropolis.\nClement Smith was the president of the Farmers and Mechanics\nBank of Georgetown for some period of time, until 1844. This\nbank had greatly assisted the U.S. government during the war\nof 1812 by a loan of several hundred thousand dollars, before\nit was incorporated. Clement Smith is recorded as a member of\nChrist Episcopal Church of Georgetown and important in founding\n18\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 9)\nthe building in 1817. In the first part of the 19th century\n(no more specific date is given) Richard Jackson in his\nChronicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-1878 (Washington, D.C.,\nR. 0. Polkinhorn, 1878) notes that the military company of\nIndependent Grays, Infantry, was commanded for a time by\nClement Smith (p. 87.)\n3. The 1834 directory listing for Peter Vonessen reads: \"grocer\nand tavern keeper, near canal Bridge and Congress Streets, east\nside.\"\n4. Washington directories provide the following information on\ntenants of 3134-3136 South Street:\n1915\n3134 vacant\n3136 William E. Barnes\n1917-21\nDavid Curtis\nWilliam E. Barnes\n1925\n3134 not listed\n3136 vacant\n1927\n3134 David H. Curtis\n3136 William E. Barnes\n1929-31\nDavid H. Curtis\nAndrew Thomas\n1933\n3134 no entry\n3136 Mrs. Anna Harris\n1935\nAlbert Thomas\nAnna Harris\n1937\nEdgar H. Butler\nAnna Harris\n1939\nAlbert Thomas\nAnna Harris\n1941\nAnna Mickey\nWilliam Mills\n1943\nHarry West\nWilliam Mills\n1948\nHarry F. West\nMrs. Anna M. Harris\n1954-56\nGeorge I. Mishtowt (owner)\nJohn J. Dwyer (owner)\n1960\nFraser L. Hunter\nJames F. Durston (owner)\n1962\nJames T. Hall\nJames F. Durston\n1965-67\nRichard N. Tetlie\nJames F. Durston (owner)\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n19\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 10)\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: A fine example of the early\nsettlers' adaptation of elements of the Georgian style\nfor interior decoration. Considered one of the oldest\nbuildings in the Georgetown Waterfront area, it has been\naltered very little and has been well maintained. The\ninterior is small and intimate in scale.\n2. Condition of fabric: Well maintained. Interior in ex-\ncellent condition with the exterior suffering from warping\ncaused by the expansion and contraction of the siding.\nB. Detailed Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: The entire house is rectangular,\nwith 3134 South St. forming the eastern half, under the\neast slope of the gable roof. Overall dimensions of this\nhalf are 14\" 6\" by 33' 7\" not counting the small kitchen\naddition at the southeast corner. Two stories with a sunken\nbasement exposed at the rear; two bays on the gable ends,\nthree bays on the east-west sides.\n2. Foundations: Rubble\n3. Wall construction: The house is wood frame with beveled\nand dished clapboarding painted white. The west wall\nof 3134 is the party wall.\n4. Framing: Wood framing. Joists measuring 2 1/2\" x 9 1/4\"\nare exposed in the basement.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc: A brick retaining wall\nencloses the small front yard. It is in common bond red\nbrick with headers every 6 courses.\n6. Chimneys: Two large rectangular brick chimneys shared by\nthe two halves of the house are located about 8 feet from\neach gable end. They are of different sizes and are\nslightly truncated at the tops; this consists of three\ncourses stepped back from the face of the chimney, and the\nslope coated with concrete.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The front entrance, no longer used,\nis located on the north side near the east corner. It is\n20\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 11)\nwood framed. with a three light rectangular transom.\nThe door is of wood and contains twelve panes. Flanking\nit are double panel fixed louver shutters of wood,\npainted dark green. A four panel wooden door on the\neast side is now used as the main entrance above which\nis a 3 light transom. French doors, 15 panes each\nleaf, and two others (modern) enter the basement.\nb. Windows and shutters: Six over six wooden double hung\nwindows with white wooden framing flanked by dark green\ndouble panel fixed louver shutters are evident on the\nnorth and east sides. In the rear (south) two different\ntypes of casement windows are flanked by similar shutters.\nBetween the two casement windows at the second floor,\nthere is a fixed mullioned panel containing twenty-four\nlights. There is a square louvered opening for venti-\nlation near the apex on the north wall.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: Gable roof with a north-south ridge\ncovered in metal painted red. The east slope covers\n3134.\nb. Cornice, eaves: The north gable has a parapet base\nand a narrow wooden coping which runs along the edge.\nThe eave on the east has a projecting rounded metal\ngutter.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: A small square wooden louvered\ntower ventilates the attic. It is located in the center\nof the slope toward the north gable and is covered with\na north-south gable roof. A cast iron vent pipe runs\nup the partition wall in the rear and is capped with\na louvered metal cover.\nC. Description of the Interior:\n1. Floor plans: The first floor has a front living room with\nadded toilet in a northeast corner closet; the rear living\nroom into which the side door comes also contains the stairs.\nThe second floor has a central stair hall, with bedrooms\nat each end of the house. The basement contains one room,\nthe size of the main living room above it, and the entrance\nto the small kitchen wing attached.\n2. Stairways: Located between the chimneys is a dog-leg\nstair leading to the second floor and a straight one des-\ncending to the basement. They are wooden and 2' 8\" wide.\n21\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 12)\nThe risers are 8\" high, and the treads 10\" wide. Thirteen\nsteps ascend to the second floor, nine descend to the basement.\nThe simple wooden balustrades have square newels (no caps),\noval hand rails, and rectangular balusters.\n3. Flooring: Wide wooden flooring of 6 and 8 inches is used\nthroughout the top floors. The basement has a tile floor.\n4. Walls and ceiling finish: Walls and ceilings are plastered\nthroughout except for some paneling, and the ceiling in the\nbasement, which has the original exposed wood: 2 1/2\" x\n9 1/4\" joists and 6\" and 8\" flooring. Twelve and thirteen\ninch wide wood paneling appears in the basement. Walls\nare rough plastered here.\n5. Doorways and doors: Three and five panel wooden doors\npainted white.\n6. Decorative features and trim: The walls have been painted\nwhite thereby making the fine natural woodwork stand out.\nThe wooden mantels are finely handled and simple. Only the\none in the south living room has fluted pilasters. The others\nare smooth. The area inclosed by the wooden mantels is\ncommon bond red brick with flat arches. A molded projecting\nmantel ledge crowns all fireplaces with a wooden molded cyma\nrecta strip occurring just above the interior opening.\nSimple rectangular wooden base moldings are the only other\ntrim.\n7. Notable hardware: Early H, and H and L hinges plus strap\nhinges are seen throughout. Old door latches are still in\nuse.\n8. Lighting: Modern.\n9. Heating: Fireplaces were the original means of heating,\nwith five located on the party wall. Now gas heated hot\nwater in radiators is used.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The Brickyard Hill House,\nlocated on the south side of South Street, faces north\ntoward Grace Episcopal Church. On the east side is a\ngarbage disposal plant, on the south auto repair shops,\nand on the west an office building. The noise and odors\nof the waterfront area are barely noticeable.\n2. Enclosures: The rear patio is enclosed in a vertical wood\nand brick fence. On the north side of the house is a modern\nbrick retaining wall with a wrought iron fence attached to\n22\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-158 (Page 13)\nthe top.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: On the east side of the house is a concrete walk.\n5. Landscaping: Behind the retaining wall on the north side\nare vines, bushes, and an elm tree. In the rear is a\npatio of flat basket-weave brick, with rose bushes, vines,\nand a small fountain.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n23\n24\nBrickyard Hill House\n3134 South Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\nfireplace, first floor, south room\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\n1052-1054 Potomac Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-146\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nLocation:\n1052-1054 Potomac St., N.W. (Georgetown), Washington,\nD.C. (Middle of the west side of west branch of Potomac\nSt. which divides here around the Georgetown Market.\nFormerly called \"Market Space\" or \"Market Street\".)\nPresent Owner:\nHelmut Schade.\nPresent Occupant: Same.\nPresent Use\n1050 (ground floor) used as furniture repair shop.\n1052 (second and third floors) residence.\nStatement of\nA very early 19th century building, in the heart of the\nSignificance:\nold commercial area of Georgetown, that probably always\nwas used for business (ground floor) as well as residence\n(above). Little altered.\nPART 1. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information is\nan incomplete chain of title to the land on which the house\nwas built. The site is in Square 1186, lot 820, (old Square\n16, lot 41, sublot 3) in the original area of Georgetown.\nThe references are all to the Recorder of Deeds, District of\nColumbia.\n1794 Deed March 12, 1794 recorded March 22, 1794 in\nLiber A folio 497\nThomas Swearingan et ux Mary\nTo\nJoseph Carleton\n\"Also lot 3, beginning at the end of 120 feet on the\nfirst line of lot 41 and running thence east parallel\nto Fall [M] St. 76'8\"\nintercepting the line of Cedar\nAlley [Potomac St.] 120' southerly from Fall St., then\nby and with said line of Cedar Alley south parallel\nto first line of lot 41 42 ft., then west parallel\nto Fall 76'8\" etc.\" This includes all but a 7' strip\non the north side of lot 820. Carleton owned much of\nthe land in this Square.\n1795 Deed May 4, 1795 recorded June 5, 1795 in\nLiber B folio 219\nWilliam King et ux Elizabeth\n27\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 2)\nTo\nJoseph Carleton\nConveys lot 4, of lot 41 (Georgetown) beginning at\nend of 107' from first line of 41, then south 13' etc.\nThis makes 120', and Liber AH folio 359 (1814) says\nour lot extends to this piece, on its north side.\nThus lot 820 is now formed.\n1812 Will of Joseph Carleton, dated April 18, 1812 recorded\nin Will Book 1, folio 207. Probated May 18, 1812.\n1814 Deed December 24, 1814 recorded December 24, 1814 in\nLiber AH folio 359\nJohn Laird, executor.\nTo\nAbraham Wingerd\nThe lot conveyed is 30' X 76'8\" and begins 113 feet\nsouth of M Street, where the present house starts.\nA John Hollingshead bought the lot \"with the improvements\n& appurtenances thereto\" for $1000 at public sale,\nand assigned it to Abraham Wingerd.\n1820 Will of Abraham Wingerd, January 3, 1820, Will Book 3,\nfolio 58. Leaves his estate to his wife and their children.\n1849 Deed in Trust September 15, 1849 recorded September 22, 1849\nin Liber JAS 6 folio 377\nGeorge W. Varnell et ux Mary Ann\nTo\nJohn Marbury\n\"House and lot on west side of Market Space in George-\ntown\nbeginning\nat the end of 113 feet from the\ncorner of Bridge Street and said space and running\nwith the line of Market Space 31 feet to the northeast\ncorner of a brick house now owned and occupied by\nRobert McPherson, then west and parallel with Bridge\nSt. 76'6\" to division line of lot #40 and #41 in the\noriginal plan of Georgetown, then with the said division\nline north 31 feet +,\" etc.\n1851 Release April 30, 1851 recorded May 2, 1851 in\nLiber JAS 24, folio 31\nJohn Marbury\nTo\nGeorge W. Varnell\n2. Date of erection: about 1800. Joseph Carleton had obtained\nall the land of lot 820 by 1795 and the Georgetown Assessment\nrecords of 1800-07 (National Archives Microcopy 605, Group 351,\nroll 7) give the following information:\n28\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 3)\nJoseph Carleton\n1 house and lot\n1200\nfurniture\n80\n(second assessment of period)\n1 lot improved on Market Street\n1200\nThus the house seems to have been built about 1800.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: No major alterations seem to\nhave been made.\n6. Important old views: None.\nB. Historical Events connected with the structure:\n1. Joseph Carleton was postmaster of Georgetown from February 1,\n1799 until February 1, 1803.\n2. John Marbury: see HABS No. DC-154.\n3. Washington Directories provide the following tenant information:\n1915 1052, Eustace F. Marshall, John Anderson\n1054, vacant\n1917 1052, John W. Shreve\n1054, George W. Stark\n1919 vacant\n1921 1052, Oscar W. Hayes\n1054, John H. Snyder, express agent\n1923 1052, Charles S. Angel\n1054, John H. Snyder, express agent\n1925 1052, Charles S. Angel\n1054, vacant\n1927 1052, Charles S. Angel, Charles H. Caton\n1054, vacant\n1929 1052, Benjamin Chamberlain\n1054, vacant\n1931 same\n1933 same\n1935 1052, George Rorls\n1054, vacant\n1937 1052, Curtis Lucas\n1054, vacant\n1939 1052, Curtis Lucas\n1054, Bernice Mason\n1941 1052, Curtis Lucas\n1054, vacant\n29\n319-731 O-68-3\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 4)\n1943-48 1052, Curtis Lucas\n1054, Harmon Thomas\n1954-56 1052, Ross Wheat, furniture repair\n1054, same (owner)\n1960-67 1052, James T. Williams, furniture repair\nHelmut Schade, furniture refinisher\n1054, Helmut Schade\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\nGeorgetown Assessments, 1800-07, National Archives (Micro-\ncopy 605, Group 351, roll 7).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Washington city directories.\n3. Likely sources -not yet investigated: Further search of title.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The Carleton House is a typical\nearly 19th century building, representative of the combination\nshop and residence of that era. The interior is very simple\nand plain.\n2. Condition of fabric: The building is in fair condition.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Rectangular structure, 31'7\" by 29'0\",\nwith an outdoor toilet attached to the north corner of the\nwest side. Four bay facade; 2 1/2 stories, with basement\nhalf exposed at rear slope.\n2. Foundation: Rubble.\n3. Wall construction: Red brick in Flemish bond on the east\nelevation is now painted gray. On the west it is in common\nbond with headers every six courses. The north-south ends\nare parapet gable walls: the south one is flashed, the north\none is not. Part of the north wall and all the south is stuccoed.\nThe north wall is cracking and separating from the shop.\n30\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 5)\n4. Framing: Brick load bearing walls.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: A small wooden platform\nsupported by a brick podium (which incloses the outdoor toilet)\nis the porch for the door on the north corner of the west side.\nAn areaway with a concrete floor and brick retaining wall runs\nthe length of the west elevation. Rubble basement walls are\nevident.\n6. Chimneys: Inside the apex of each gable, there is a common\nbond red brick chimney with terra cotta flues. The south one\nis a bit higher with two corbeled courses at the top.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The east elevation has two, six panel\nwooden doors in wooden frames with single light transoms\nunder flat brick arches. The various west elevation\ndoors have wooden lintels. At the basement level are two\ndoors: a nine light over one panel wooden door (south)\nand a second wooden door (north) the top of which contains\na fan and air conditioner. On the first floor also are\ntwo doors: each is six panel, wood, but the southern one\nhas an exhaust fan above it.\nb. Windows and shutters: Six over six double hung wooden\nsash windows occur on the top two and a half stories.\nOn the east side second floor the windows are under flat\nbrick arches with stone sills and flanked by green double\npanel fixed louver wooden shutters. The lower windows\nhave no shutters. The west side has three types: windows\nunder flat brick arches with wooden sills; windows under\nsteel lintels with brick sills; and a group of three six\nlight windows on the basement level with one fixed window\nflanked by two casement windows. No shutters. The 6/6\ndormer windows are flanked by center hinged, two over two\npanel wooden moveable louver shutters painted green.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: North-south gable roof with metal covering\npainted gray.\nb. Cornice, eaves: Contained between the gable walls, the east\ncornice consists of three corbeled courses, the center\none dogtoothed, formed by bricks set at a 45 degree angle\nto the face of the wall. Protruding above this cornice\nis a curved metal gutter. The western cornice is formed\nby three corbeled courses with a deteriorating gutter hanging\ndown from the south end. The gable walls (north and south)\n31\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 6)\nextend above the roof. The south gable is flashed, but\nthe north one is not and is in poor condition.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: Roof has two simple dormers\non the east slope, and two on the west with center-hinged\n4 panel louvered shutters.\nC. Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans:\na. First floor: Two rectangular rooms, running north-south.\nb. Second floor: Stair hall along the north end; living room\nalong the east side, and a similar room along the west\nside now divided into bath, toilet and kitchen.\nC. Third floor: Stair hall along the north end; remainder\nof the floor is open, except for a small toilet built\ninto the northeast corner of the room.\nd. Basement: Two rectangular rooms runming north-south, as\non the first floor.\n2. Stairways: Ten inch wooden treads above 7 1/2 inch risers form\nthe stairway, which rises along the interior of the north wall.\nAn oval shaped wooden handrail is supported by small square\nbalusters and well carved round newels.\n3. Flooring: Wooden planks of six and eight inches wide are the\nflooring on the second floor with newer narrower flooring on\nthe first. The basement has a concrete floor.\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: The walls and ceilings have plaster\nand plasterboard finishes throughout. Some wood paneling\nappears on the second floor.\n5. Doorways and doors: Well handled architraves enclose the six\npanel wooden doors, and the windows.\n6. Decorative features and trim: Well carved base and chair\nmoldings appear on the top two floors.\n7. Notable hardware: None.\n8. Lighting: Incandescent lamps and fluorescent ceiling lights.\n9. Heating: Gas heaters with blowers, fireplaces with simple\nwooden mantels, and an oil burning cast iron stove.\n32\nJOSEPH CARLETON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-146 (Page 7)\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The house faces east, and\nstands just west of the old Georgetown Market. Located on\nPotomac Street between the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and M\nStreet, it was formerly in the center of the commercial activities.\n2. Enclosures: A white wooden broken pediment crowns a metal\ngrid gate which closes the alley on the south side.\n3. Outbuildings: None\n4. Walks: The alley on the south side has concrete pavement.\nOn the east the shop is bordered by a flat common bond red\nbrick walk.\n5. Landscaping: To the north is a vacant lot, and there is a\nstorage yard to the west with a flat red brick basket weave\npavement.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n33\n34\nJoseph Carleton House\n1052-1054 Potomac Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\nNORTH\nREIGHT\nWELL\n17\nL.R.\nk\nWORKSHOP\n17\nL.R\nSTORAGE\n13\n1\nWORKSHOP\nB.R.\nk\nWORKSHOP\nT\nT\nT\nAREAWAY\nFIRST\nSECOND\nTHIRD\n-\nBASEMENT\nJoseph Carleton House\n1052-1054 Potomac Street\nsketch plans\n35\nMcCLEERY HOUSE\n1068 30th Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-162\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nLocation:\n1068 30th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.\nWest side of the street, lot beginning 195 feet south\nof M Street; 22.5 ft. wide.\nPresent Owner:\nDonald H. Shannon\nPresent Occupant: Mr. & Mrs. James F. McGuirl\nPresent Use:\nPrivate residence\nStatement of\nA Georgetown residence of about 1800 with many fine\nSignificance\ninterior details, reputedly designed by James Hoban.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information\nis an incomplete chain of title to the land on which this\nhouse is built. The site is Square 1197, lot 846 (old square\n27, old lot 23, south part), original area of Georgetown.\nThe references are all to the Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\n1801 Deed May 18, 1801 recorded May 19, 1801 in\nLiber G folio 88\nThomas Beall et ux Ann\nElijah Beall et ux Nancy\nTo\nHenry McCleery\n\"All that part of lot 23 on Washington St. in Beall's\naddition and the alley of 2 feet, the said part\ncontaining 24' in width fronting Washington St.,\nand for depth extending 120' next to the adjoining\nlot 22 in same addition. Also on alley on south\nside and adjacent to the said house, of 2' in breadth\nand 34' in depth.\" Thomas Beall contracted to sell\nto Elijah Beall and Jonathan Jackson two lots in\nBeall's first addition, Nos. 23 and 24. They built\non lot 23 a 2 story brick house and appropriated to\nthe same 24' of the width and 124' of the length of\nthe lot together with 2 feet in front and 24 feet\nin length of the same lot and adjoining the south\nside of the house for an alley which they agreed\nto build between them jointly, and agreed to divide\nthe residue of said lots between them. Jackson since\ndied.\n39\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 2)\n1805 Deed October 11, 1805, recorded October 15, 1805 in\nLiber N folio 299\nThomas Beall\nAgnes Jackson\nWilliam Jackson\nTrustees for the sale of real estate of Jonathan\nJackson, deceased\nTo\nWilliam Morgan\nConveys parts of 23 and 24 beginning at southeast\ncorner of that part of lot 23 heretofore conveyed\n(above) and running with Washington (30th) St.\nfronting thereon for 47', .thence westerly parallel\nwith line dividing lots 23 and 24 120' to end of\nsaid lots, thence northerly to southwest corner\nof lot 23 conveyed above, and thence east with\nthe south line of said property.\n1816 Deed June 25, 1816 recorded June 25, 1816 in\nLiber AL folio 536\nWilliam Morgan\nTo\nJohn Bowie\nSame as above, 47' on Washington (30th) St.\n1816 Lease for 5 years June 25, 1816 recorded June 25,\n1816 in\nLiber AL folio 533\nJohn Bowie\nTo\nWilliam Morgan\nRight to purchase for $4000 within said period.\n1833 Assignment of Debt and mortgage of September 11\nrecorded October 24, 1833 in\nLiber WB 46 folio 455\nThomas I. Bowie\nTo\nAllen Bowie Davis\nT. I. Bowie purchased this property at a trustee\nsale (made by virtue of a decree of circuit court\nof D.C.) December 21, 1830. John Marbury appointed\nto sell the lot by court order. (Thomas Bowie\nwas administrator of John Bowie.)\n1833 Deed May 22, 1833 recorded October 24, 1833 in\nLiber WB 46 folio 459\nJohn Marbury\nThomas I. Bowie\nTo\nAllen Bowie Davis\n40\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 3)\nConveys the two story brick house on west side\nof Washington Street, with piece of ground appur-\ntenant, late property of William Morgan beginning\nat southeast corner of McCleery lot (above) running\nwith Washington Street south to the south corner\nof the said house, westerly with south gable of\nsaid house and parallel with dividing line between\nlot 23 and 24, 120', then north to southwest\ncorner of lot 23 parcel of McCleery, then with\nsouth side of said property to beginning. (Does\nnot say how long the 30th Street side is.)\n1847 Deed January 20, 1847 recorded February 1, 1847 in\nLiber WB 132 folio 10\nAllen B. Davis et ux Hester A.\nTo\nTimothy P. Anderson\nThe two story brick house on west side of Washington\nSt. with land on which it stands, late property\nof William Morgan. (Description same as above.)\nConsideration $4000.\n1863 Deed December 12, 1862 recorded June 3, 1863 in\nLiber NCT 6 folio 129\nTimothy P. Anderson et ux Emily R.\nTo\nWilliam Hance\nThe lot (above) south of the McCleery lot; also,\nthe lot from that south gable wall, 69' on\nWashington and 120 deep, \"to the south gable wall\nof another house which formerly stood on the\nsouthern extremity of said lot.\" Consideration\n$1850.\n1872 Deed February 13, 1872 recorded February 15, 1872 in\nLiber 670 folio 402\nWilliam Hance et ux Isabella\nTo\nMichael C. McGowan\nRiley A. Shean\nThat part of land \"supposed to front 69' on\nWashington St. more or less and lying immediately\nsouth of an adjoining the two story brick house\nnow owned by the said Hance, and extending to the\nsouth gable wall of another house which formerly\nstood on the southern extremity of said lot\"\n(i.e. 24).\n41\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 4)\n1875 Deed January 11, 1875 recorded January 20, 1875 in\nLiber 773 folio 172\nWilliam Hance et ux Isabella\nTo\nRichard A. King\n\"Part of lot 23, beginning at west line of\nWashington St. 26' south of southeast corner of\nlot 22; southerly 25' westerly parallel to Bridge\nSt. 125', northerly parallel to Washington 27',\neasterly 2', easterly 34' to beginning.\" Consideration\n$1100.\n1882 Deed February 25, 1882 recorded March 1, 1882 in\nLiber 997 folio 333\nRichard A. King et ux Mary A.\nTo\nFrank Thompson\nSame lot as above; consideration $900.\n1899 Deed January 31, 1899 recorded February 3, 1899 in\nLiber 2390 folio 81\nFrank Thompson et ux Elizabeth M. F.\nTo\nRose W. Cash\nSame as above. \"Also, all that piece of land\nin Georgetown known as the southern part of lot\n23 in Beall's 1st addition, lying next to and\nadjoining lot 22, and fronting 25 feet more or\nless on west side of Washington Street, and running\nback at the width west 120'.\" Now all the street\nface of lot 23 is united in one owner for 50'.\nDeed Liber 2716 folio 52 (February 13, 1903)\nrerecords this.\n1907 Deed December 27, 1906 recorded January 29, 1907 in\nLiber 3042 folio 297\nRosa W. Cash, widow\nTo\nHerbert A. Davis\nSame land as above.\n1925 Herbert A. Davis, died February 21, 1925 intestate\nand unmarried.\nAdministration #32, 916\n(Shows he owned 1068 and 1070 30th St.)\nSubdivision Liber S.O. 80 folio 9\n\"I hereby subdivide original lot 24, and the\nsouthern 10 feet, front, by full depth of original\nlot 23, sq. 1197, into lots 63-67 as shown above.\"\nHenry B. Pease\n22 September 1925\n42\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 5)\n1926 Deed July 19, 1926 recorded July 27, 1926 in\nLiber 5831 folio 69\nWalter G. Moyle\nJohn H. Nelson\nTo\nM. Frank Ruppert\nThe lot 23 (and 61): 51' on 30th St., west 125\nft, north 27 feet, east 5 feet, north 24 feet,\neast 120 feet sale under decree S.C.D.C., passed\nMarch 31 1926 Equity Cause #43, 946, Gaines et\nal vs. Davis et al, $5,000. Sale ratified May 13,\n1926.\n1952 Deed March 10, 1952 recorded March 14, 1952 in\nLiber 9669, folio 592\nOlga Ruppert May\nMilton Frank Ruppert\nRaymond R. Ruppert\nTrustees under will of M. Frank Ruppert\nTo\nEleanore A. Basso\nLot 23, (plus other property); specifies \"premises\n1068, 1070, 1072 and 1074 30th St., N.W.\"\n2. Date of erection: Apparently before 1800. Henry McCleery\nobtained the property in 1801 (Liber G, folio 88). This deed\nmentions a \"two story brick house\" of 24 ft on 30th St.,\nbut this included a 2 foot alley. Whether this is the house\nin question or not needs further investigation. Recorded\nmeasurements for this property are not always in agreement.\nThe assessment records for 1800-07 (National Archives Micro-\ncopy 605, group 351, roll 7) (second assessment) list under\n'Henry McClary', 'l improved lot on Washington St. [30th]\n$2000.'\n3. Architect: A letter of November 14, 1964 to Mr. Donald\nShannon, present owner of the house, from Margaret Ide, a\nformer tenant, reads in part: \"We had a visit today from\none James Hoban, a great great grandson of the architect of\nthe White House\nHe feels the fine Adam mantels and arch\ndetail are like Hoban's work\n[He] has also worked on the\nWhite House book, sponsored by Jacqueline Kennedy, as he had\nmuch material which filled in gaps caused by various fires\nhere in D.C....\nThe National Trust is going to verify the\narchitectural authorship.\" This attribution is doubted by\nMr. Shannon, however.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: When the road was raised about\n1831 to make a level crossing of the canal, the first floor\n43\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 6)\nwas below street level, and a rearrangement of the interior\nmay have been made at that time. The building was restored\nby Mr. Shannon after he bought it in 1952. The basement\nfloor was turned into a kitchen and the two rooms on that\nfloor combined into one; on the third floor a rear dormer\nwas added, and partitions introduced to make bedrooms.\nOtherwise the house was kept as original as possible.\n6. Important old views: Mr. Shannon possesses several photographs\nof the building before and after restoration. These were\nnot available, as Mr. Shannon is now living in Tokyo, and\nthe photographs are stored in Paris (1967). Some were published\nin the Evening Star in 1953.\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. Jonathan Jackson:\nThe Georgetown assessment records of 1800-1807 (National\nArchives, group 351, Microcopy 605, roll 7) have the following\nentry:\nJonathan Jackson Heirs\n1 lot on the Causeway [eastern end, K St.] 400\n1 lot on Washington [30th] St.\n380\n2. The Bowie family:\nThe Bowies were well known in Georgetown, and it is not\nsurprising that their name appears in land records. The\nproperty at 1068 30th Street was acquired by John Bowie\nin 1816. In 1833 the property was transfered to his cousin\nAllen Bowie Davis by Thomas Bowie (brother of John) after\nJohn Bowie's death. Allen Bowie Davis held the \"two story\nbrick house\" from 1833 to 1847.\nWashington Bowie (brother of John and Thomas Bowie) was\nborn August 12, 1776, and early prospered in trade. \"While\nstill a mere boy, Washington Bowie entered the shipping\nhouse of William Deakins in George-Town. There he gained\nthe practical business training that fitted him to join\nin establishing the firm of Bowie and Kurtz, in 1799, while\nstill a very young man. This firm of shipping merchants\nprospered and became widely known to mercantile houses in\nLondon, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bremen, Cadiz, Gibraltar and\nthe West Indies, as well as in America.\" (Harold Donaldson\nEberlein, and Cortland Van Dyke Hubbard, Historic Houses\nof George-Town & Washington City, Richmond, The Dietz Press,\n1958, p. 120) He was married in 1799, built a house in\nGeorgetown at 3124 Q St, N.W., in 1805 and eventually had\n4 sons and three daughters. They were soon friends with\n44\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 7)\nthe notables of Washington, for in the diary of Mrs. William\nThornton for 1800 we find the following note for January 11th:\n\"Mama and I went to George Town to call on Mrs. J. Mason\n& Mrs. W. Bowie who were not at home.\" (Records of the\nColumbia Historical Society, V. 10, p. 94.)\nHis brother, Dr. John Bowie (1769-1825) did not live in\nGeorgetown; Thomas Bowie was yet another brother. His\nsister, Elizabeth Bowie, married Thomas Davis, and their\nson Allen Bowie Davis (February 16, 1809 to April 17 1889)\nreceived the property mentioned in 1833. He, like Washington\nBowie, seems to have been active in public affairs: he was\npresident of the Brookville Academy, President of the Board\nof Trustees of the Maryland Agricultural College, and held\nother such posts. He lived in Baltimore, and at Greenwood,\nMontgomery.\n\"As early as 1810, the Annapolis Gazette describes 'Colonel'\nBowie as 'one of the wealthiest and most public-spirited\ncitizens of George-Town' and refers to him as a 'merchant\nprince.' His reputation for public spirit and devotion\nto the interests of George-Town was well deserved; as a vestry-\nman of St. John's Church he was also concerned with the moral\nwelfare of the community.\" (Eberlein and Hubbard, p. 120).\nThe Georgetown assessment records of 1800-07 (National Archives,\ngroup 351, Microcopy 605, roll 7) provide the following in-\nformation about Washington Bowie's property:\n1 lot and small house on Falls (M) Street:\n600\n2 negroe women\n180\n4 small negroe children\n100\n1 horse\n80\n1 COW\n10\nfurniture\n1600\n$ 2570\n3. John Marbury, trustee: See HABS No. DC-154.\n4. For biographical data on early owners of this land see\nHABS No. DC-168.\n5. Washington directories supply the following tenant information:\n1915 Mrs. Maggie A. Walker\n1917 vacant\n1919 William Wyatt\n1921 William Wyatt, and William Smith\n1923 Alice Booth\n1925 Theodore Green\n1927 Everett J. Taylor\n1929 vacant\n1931 Peter J. Riley\n45\n319-731 O-68-4\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 8)\n1933 vacant\n1935 Charles Rector and Allen Babber\n1937 Walter Anderson, James Newman, & Edward T. Offutt\n1939 George W. Banks, Hattie Jackson, Mrs. Mamie Offutt\n1941 Herbert Lucas\n1943 Clarence E. Rhodes\n1948 Thomas Offitt\n1954-56 Donald H. Shannon (owner)\n1960 Charles Demetrio\n1962 Donald H. Shannon (owner)\n1965 Bernard Norwich\n1967 James McGuirl\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: This small Federal house retains\nmuch of its original woodwork.\n2. Condition of fabric: The exterior is in good condition,\nthough a few small shear cracks are evident. Inside, alter-\nations and remodeling have taken place but much of the\noriginal wood work and trim remains.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Rectangular structure measuring 22'5\"\n(east side) by 36' 3\"; three bay facade. With the present\nstreet level the house has one and a half stories with\na full basement exposed to the west, and with an areaway\nacross the entire front on the east.\n2. Foundations: Flemish and common bond red brick painted\nwhite to the foot of the basement on the east and west\nsides.\n3. Wall construction: The walls are red brick in Flemish\nbond and common bond (with irregular headers) which are\npainted white on the east and west elevations. To the north\nis a brick party wall.\n4. Framing: The structural system consists of brick bearing\nwall and wooden floor structure. Wooden rafters are evident\nin the dormered attic.\n46\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 9)\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: In front of the present\nentrance is a modern iron stoop with 10 inch treads and four\n8 inch risers with a steel plate platform. (This was the\nsecond floor until the street was raised about 1831.) A\nretaining wall of rough rubble masonry with slate coping\nforms an areaway on the east side of the basement, originally\nthe ground floor. Crowning this revetment is a balustrade\nof square steel balusters and a flat handrail painted black.\n6. Chimneys: Two large rectangular brick chimneys in common\nbond are located inside the north edge of both slopes of\nthe gable roof. Atop these are steel mesh ash catchers.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The main entrance, located on the\neast side near the south corner, has wooden jambs and\na flat brick arch (reinforced by a steel lintel) and\na six paneled wooden door under a three light rectangular\ntransom. The basement door, below and slightly to the\nleft, has a modern screen door and 20th century glazed\nwooden Dutch door with six lights over two panels. In\nthe west elevation are two French windows of twelve\nlights each (six lights per leaf) behind aluminum screen\ndoors. A very small wooden Dutch door (4'4\" x 2'6\",\nsix lights over two panels) appears at the basement level\nin the rear. All openings seem to be reinforced with\nsteel lintels.\nb. Windows and shutters: Six/six light double hung wooden\nsash windows with flat brick arches and brick sills\noccur on both elevations. Double paneled fixed louver\nwooden shutters painted flat black flank all windows\nexcept the French ones, a small six/six light double hung\none at the basement level on the east elevation, and the\ndormer windows.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The gable roof (north-south ridge)\nis covered with standing seam metal roofing painted\nred.\nb. Cornice, eaves: Simple strong cornices crowning both\nelevations consist of a metal cyma recta shaped gutter,\na wooden box fascia, and cyma recta and astragal mouldings.\nIt is bordered on the bottom by a narrow wooden strip.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: Two gabled dormers, sheathed\nand roofed in metal, with six/six light double hung\nwindows are symetrically placed, two on each slope.\nA large rectangular skylight is located near the ridge\n47\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 10)\non the east slope.\nC. Detailed Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans:\na. Basement: Divided into halves, the east side contains\nthe kitchen and the west (connected by an enlarged doorway)\nthe dining room and stair hall.\nb. First floor: Along the south wall runs the stair hall\nwith an arch dividing it in two. The living room is\nagainst the east wall, the den against the west with\na widened doorway between them.\nC. Second floor: The eastern half consists of a bedroom,\nwith a bath built into the southeast corner; the western\nhalf contains the stair hall, a closet, and second bedroom.\n2. Stairs: In the southwest corner are the dog-leg stairs,\n2'8\" wide. The treads are 9 3/4 inches and risers are 7\ninches. Simple extended square newels with no caps and rec-\ntangular balusters support well carved wooden handrails.\n3. Flooring: A five and seven inch wide wooden planking (which\nappears to be original) covers all floors except the basement\n(which is tiled).\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: The walls and ceilings are plaster;\nmolding occurs at the base, chair height, and ceiling.\n5. Doorways and doors: Two apparently original tall four paneled\nwooden doors appear in the basement. The other doors are\nwooden with simple trim.\n6. Decorative features and trim: A wooden arch, consisting of\na well articulated keystone and mouldings, is located in\nthe middle of the entrance hall. It. has finely carved convex\nreeded pilasters with diagonally and vertically reeded reveal.\nBase, chair, and ceiling molding appear through the house.\n7. Notable hardware: The original lock boxes appear on the\ntall interior basement doors. Exterior hardware consists\nof a metal fire insurance plaque, not original, with clasped\nhands above the date 1794.\n8. Lighting, type fixtures: Incandescent lighting.\n9. Heating: Gas heated forced hot air, and fireplaces. Two\nfinely carved wooden mantels appear on the first floor.\nBoth have reeded friezes below a small dentil-like strip\n48\nMCCLEERY HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-162 (Page 11)\nand molded mantel shelf. A second small dentil-like molding\nextends across the mantels just above the pilasters. One\nmantel is supported by reeded pilasters and the other has\nchamfered and molded pilasters.\nD. Site:\n1. General Setting and Orientation: This building is located\non the west side of 30th Street, N.W. between M Street and\nthe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, in a predominantly residential\nblock.\n2. Enclosures: A modern iron fence crowns the retaining wall\non the east side. In the rear at the basement level, a wooden\nfence encloses a brick court.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: The house is on a herringbone red brick public walk\nlined with trees.\n5. Landscaping: Three stone planters sit on the east retaining\nwall. The rear fence has an abundant ivy covering.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n49\n50\nMcCleery House\n1068 30th Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\nR\n10\n6\nIL\nM\nTHE\nDRESSING\nD.R.\nDEN\nUP\nROOM\nUP\nDORMERED\nc\nKITCHEN\nR.R.\nBEDROOM\nT\nAREAWAY\nNORTH\nBASEMENT\nFIRST\nSECOND\nMcCleery House\n1068 30th Street\nsketch plans\n51\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\n1072 Thomas Jefferson Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-161\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nLocation:\n1072 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W. (Georgetown), Washington,\nD.C.; west side of street, beginning 120 feet from\nthe corner of M Street.\nPresent Owner:\nMrs. Gertrude E. Ochs, 1074 Thomas Jefferson St.\nPresent Occupant: Harold K Nelson (first floor)\nHugh F. Griffin (upper two floors)\nPresent Use:\nDouble residence.\nStatement of\nA little-altered frame house of about 1810.\nSignificance:\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information\nis an incomplete chain of title to the land on which this\nhouse was built. The site is Square 1198, lot 822, (old\nSquare 28, old lot 59 including part of 58) in the original\narea of Georgetown. The references are all to the Recorder\nof Deeds, District of Columbia.\n1780 Deed April 13, 1780\nRichard Wootton et ux Martha\nTo\nWilliam Bayley\nLot 59 in Georgetown\n1787 Deed May 5, 1787 recorded in\nLiber TBH 2 folio 413\nWilliam Bayley and wife Susanna F.\nTo\nGeorge Digges\nWilliam Campbell\nTransfers lot \"60\" (actually lot 59 is intended).\n1796 Deed April 5, 1796 recorded April 8, 1796 in\nLiber B folio 426\nRobert Peter\nTo\nAnthony Reintzel\n\"Part of lot 58 in Georgetown beginning at northeast\ncorner of lot 57, (being eastwardly from the boundary\n#18, 134'9\" and in the line of Bridge St.) and running\n55\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 2)\nsouthwardly with lot 57 for the length of 331'6\"\n[i.e. to where the present Canal is] then with a line\ndrawn eastwardly parallel to the line of Bridge\nSt. [M] for the length of 62'4 1/2\", then with a\nline drawn northwardly parallel to the 1st line for\nthe length of 331'6\" to the line of Bridge St. then\nwith said street westwardly 67' 4 1/2\" to beginning\nTogether with all the improvements, advantages and\nappurtenances thereunto belonging.\" Consideration\n₺255.\n1797 Right of Way January 8, 1797 recorded January 8, 1797 in\nLiber B folio 619\nThomas Beatty Jr.\nTo\nCorporation of Georgetown\n\"Beginning at the south side of Bridge Street at\nthe end of 239'6\" in easterly direction from northwest\ncorner of Bridge Street and Fishing Lane and running\nsoutherly parallel with Fishing Lane until it inter-\nsects the north side of Causeway [K Street] easterly with\nnorth side of causeway for the length of 60'; northerly\nparallel with first line to Bridge Street; thence to\nbeginning.\" Beatty conveys as much of the above\nground as is included in his lot 59 for a public\nhighway (Thomas Jefferson Street). It appears,\nhowever, that Beatty did not have title to this land.\n1800 Deed April 4, 1800 recorded 16 July 1800 in\nLiber E folio 315\nWilliam Bayley and wife Susanna F.\nTo\nNotley Young\nClement Hill,\ntrustees of George Digges, dec.\nand\nWilliam Campbell\n(To correct the above deed).\n1800 Deed April 10, 1800 recorded August 16, 1800 in\nLiber E folio 317\nNotley Young\nClement Hill\ntrustees of George Digges\nTo\nAnthony Reintzell\nAll the undivided moiety of lot 59 conveyed to Young\nand Hill by Bayley 4/4/1800.\n56\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 3)\n1801 Deed December 6, 1800 recorded January 10, 1801 in\nLiber F folio 163\nWilliam Campbell et ux Rebecca\nTo\nAnthony Reintzell\nUndivided moiety of lot 59; consideration 400 pounds.\n1808 Deed January 6, 1808 recorded April 8, 1808 in\nLiber T folio 254\nAnthony Reintzell\nTo\nThomas Adams\n\"The portion of ground and premises hereby bargained\nand sold Beginning at end of 150' southerly from\nintersection of south side of Bridge Street and the\nwest side of Jefferson St. and running from thence\nsouth with west side of Jefferson St. 28'-- west and\nparallel to Bridge [M] Street 104'9\"--north and\nparallel with Jefferson St. 28'--east and parallel\nwith Bridge St. to beginning.\" This is exactly\nlot 822. Consideration, $560.\n1809 Deed in Trust April 17, 1809 recorded May 17, 1809 in\nLiber W22 folio 1\nThomas Adams\nTo\nRichard Parrott\nJohn Mounts Jr.\nPart of lot 57 and lot 822 (28' x 104'9\").\nIn trust \"for money lent\" to Thomas Adams ($1500)\nby Henry Foxall: \"to have and to hold the said two\npieces or parcels of ground so as above described\ntogether with the improvements on each belonging.\"\nThe land was to be sold in three years if the debt\nwas not paid.\n1812 Deed April 10, 1812 recorded July 25, 1812 in\nLiber AD folio 143\nRichard Parrott\nJohn Mountz Jr.\nTo\nHenry Foxall\nSale under trust from Thomas Adams--$3850\n(same land as described W 22 folio 1.)\n1823 Will of Henry Foxall, Will Book 3 folio 270 dated\nApril 12, 1823\nDevised, subject to certain conditions, all his\nestate to Jacob Hoffman, David English, Walter Smith\n57\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 4)\nand Leonard Mackall--in trust to sell and partition\nthe remainder after a certain period equally among\nhis herrs.\nBy decree of Supreme Court, new trustees were\nappointed in place of above deceased:\nPhilip J. Berry\nDavid English\nWilliam McK. Osborn\nN.B.: In the deed sorting all his property out\n(JAS folio 148-179) of January 20, 1858 (rec.\nJanuary 21, 1858) there is no mention of this\nlot in the elaborate list prepared. It was possibly\nsold before 1823.\n2. Date of erection: About 1810. Thomas Adams bought lot\n822 for $560 in 1808. In 1809 part of lot 57, and lot\n822 (part of lot 59) were valued at $1500, but when these\nsame two parcels were sold in 1812 they brought $3850.\nThis indicates that a house probably improved the land\nby that time. In addition, the assessment records for\n1800-07 (National Archives Microcopy 605, Group 351, roll\n7) for Anthony Reintzell, who owned it at that time,\nindicate 'two lots on Jefferson St., $1200' (second assessment)\nbut are not improved. The assessment for Thomas Adams\nin 1808-12 (roll 8) notes 'part of 59, old town, improved,\n$600'.\n3. Architect: unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: Few changes. Light partition\nwall divides north hall from the room to the south. Two\nadditions on the rear are from the later 19th century and\nare brick.\n6. Important old views: The house is shown (essentially as\nit appears today) at the edge of a photo, early 20th century,\nin the Library of Congress, Pictorial Archives of Early\nAmerican Architecture, No. DC/Geo/7-1. (photo-copy with this\nData Book).\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. Biographical note on Notley Young:\nAmong the prominent citizens of Washington and Georgetown\nNotley Young is one of the most significant. He is ocea-\nsionally found as a trustee in a deed, such as that of 1800\n58\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 5)\n(Liber E, folio 315) in which, as one of the trustees of\nGeorge Digges, he conveys lot 59, on which 1072 Jefferson\nStreet now stands, and further south, the Masonic Lodge\nNo. 5.\nThe following quoted material is from Historic Houses of\nGeorge-Town & Washington City, by H. D. Eberlein and C. V.\nHubbard (Richmond, 1958).\n\"Notley Young's father, Benjamin Young, came to this country\nabout 1734, as Commissioner of Crown lands and became a\nmember of the Governor's council. Soon after his arrival\nhe married the widow of Charles Carroll, the father of\nCharles Carroll of Carrollsburgh. Notley Young, born\nabout 1736, was thus half-brother to Charles Carroll of\nCarrollsburgh and half-undle to Daniel Carroll of Duddington.\"\n(p. 401).\n\"Both Notley Young and his father-in-law, Nicholas Digges,\nwere chosen in 1776 as members from Prince George's County\nfor the Committee of Examination and Observation, later\nknown as the Committee of Safety.\" (p. 402). His first\nwife, Ann Casenave (daughter of Peter Casenave) gave him\nsix children. He married Mary Carroll in 1782.\nNotley Young was one of the \"original proprietors\" who sent\na letter to George Washington on March 29, 1791 agreeing\nwith the plans for the nearby Federal City and pledging\ntheir land at an equitable price, of 12.10.0 pounds per\nacre, except for streets. But he was also among five\n(including also Robert Peter) who later refused to sign\nthe deeds, since the government plans required far more\nland than they expected and thus (he and the others felt)\nthe sale price would be much less. They ultimately agreed,\nbut new problems arose in Pierre L'Enfant's sweeping\nplans, which included tearing down existing houses in the\nway of projected streets. \"One house that Major L'Enfant,\nin his zeal, did not demolish, was the Notley Young house.\nIt stood right in the middle of G Street, between 9th and\n10th, according to L'Enfant's street lay-out... [This house\nhad been built about 1750.] Notley Young was one of the\nnineteen \"original proprietors\" who had made substantial\nconcessions when they agreed to surrender part of their\nlands for the proposed Federal City. In consideration\nthereof, they had relied upon assurances, specified or\nimplied, that their interests would be respected in the\nstill embryo scheme of city development.\n\"Notley Young's house with its numerous dependencies\nwere\nvalued by the city at £15,000. One can readily understand\n59\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 6)\nhis indignant concern at having his dwelling represented\nas a \"nuisance to the city\" [by L'Enfant], especially\nwhen all the region around was totally undeveloped and\nthe scheme for that part of the District was still readily\nsucceptible of change\n(p.\n401).\n\"It is scarcely necessary to say that generous and genial\nhospitality always characterised the Young plantation,\na domestic condition vividly presented in General Washington's\nmind when he wrote the Commissioners deploring L'Enfant's\ndesire to pull down a house in which he had passed many\npleasant hours.\" (p. 402)\n\"In the long period before the revolutionary War, when the\ndisabilities imposed on Roman Catholics were still in effect,\nthere were no Roman Catholic churches and the only chapels\nwere in some of the larger private homes or on their estates\nNotley Young's abode was one of the great houses that served\nfor many years as a place of worship. There was no separate\nchapel in the house but when the people in the meighborhood\nknew that a priest was coming, they flocked to attend Mass\nin the big parlours.\" (p. 403) Notley Young died in 1803;\nhis house was demolished in 1856.\n2. Biographical note on Richard Parrott:\nIn his Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-1878 (Washington,\nD.C., R. 0. Polkinhorn, 1878), Mr. Richard Jackson relates an\nincident which involved Mr. Parrott. \"On the 26th of September,\n1810, an ordinance was passed authorizing Richard Parrott\nto make a rope to survey the width of the Potomac River.\"\nThe rope was duly made, was anchored on one shore, and men\non the other began to pull the rope tight. It could not be\ndone however: \"the whole town could not draw the rope into\na straight line.\" It finally had to be pulled ashore and\nthe Potomac was left unmeasured. (p. 37).\n3. Biographical note on John Mountz:\nJohn Mountz (1771-1857) was the corporation clerk of Georgetown\nfrom 1789 to 1856, essentially his entire life, and lived\nat about 3062 M Street. Because of his official position,\nhis name appears at times in deeds referring to Georgetown\ntransfers. He was also a member of the Georgetown Potomac\nLodge No. 9, and was Secretary in 1794. He was one of the\nold members of the lodge who, in 1854, attested that the\nmarble gavel held by the lodge was indeed, to the best of\nhis knowledge, the one used by George Washington in laying\nthe corner stone of the Capitol on September 18th, 1793\n60\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 7)\n(Jackson, Chronicles of Georgetown, P. 277) Mr. Jackson\ncomments on this long lived public servant: \"Mr. Mountz\nbecame disqualified for the active duties of clerk by\nadvanced age, but was still retained by our corporate\nauthorities as consulting clerk until the 1st of August\n1857 when he died at an advanced age.\" (p. 58).\nThe Georgetown Assessment records for 1800-07 (National\nArchives Microcopy 605, Group 351, roll 7) include the\nfollowing:\nJohn Mountz Sr.\n1 lot on Bridge Street with improvements\n1200\n1 lot on Washington with improvements\n1000\n1/2 lot in Beatty and Hawkins Addn\n40\n3 negroe men\n400\n1 negroe woman & 2 children\n140\n1 cow\n10\nfurniture\n120\n$2910\nJohn Mountz Jr.\nfurniture\n80\n1 COW\n20\n$100\n4. For biographical information on Anthony Reintzel, see HABS\nNo. DC-153.\n5. For biographical information on Henry Foxall, see HABS No.\nDC-145.\n6. Mrs. Gertrude Ochs, the present owner, who lived with the\nMason family that owned both 1072 and 1074 since about 1880,\nrelates that the family made carriages, and that the brick\nshop at the back of 1072 was used for finishing. George W.\nMason, the head of the family, had his first shop at M and\n28th Street, and then moved to Thomas Jefferson Street. He\nhad 5 sons and 2 daughters, and each one did a different\npart of the carriage. The last son died about 1949, and\ndaughter about 1964. (Interview, September 7, 1967. Mrs.\nOchs lived with the family about 32 years.)\n7. Washington city directories provide the following tenant\ninformation:\n1915-19 Charles C. Hickerson\nThomas J. Wintermeyer\n1921-23 Mrs. Emma E. Wintermeyer\nCharles C. Hickerson\n61\n319.731 0-68-5\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 8)\n1925\nCharles C. Hickerson\n1927\nNaomi Hickerson\n1929-31\nCharles Hickerson\n1933\nJohn E. Clementson\nCharles Hickerson\n1935-37\nJohn E. Clementson\nCharles C. Hickerson\nrear, 1072-74, Samuel Harrison, auto painter\n1939-41\nCharles Hickerson\n1943\nCharles Hickerson\nBarrow Lyons\n1948\nJoan E. Davitt\nBarrow Lyons\n1954\nJ. Harry Brogden\n1956-62\nEdward B. Vaughan Jr.\n1965\nJohn Learmont\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: One of the few clapboard houses\nleft in the waterfront area, is representative of late 18th\nand early 19th century domestic architecture.\n2. Condition of fabric: The building has not been well-main-\ntained; some deterioration is evident in all materials.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: The main rectangular section of wood\nmeasures 20'5\" (facade) by 31')\" with a brick ell from the\nwest side extending 30'0\" (flush with the north side of the\nhouse). The ell in turn has a small lean-to addition of 6' at\nits west end. The facade has three bays, east elevation one;\nthe ell has three bays on the south side. Two and a half\nstories in the main section; two stories in the ell.\n2. Foundations: Rubble, stone, and brick form the foundation\nwith three attached brick arches in the basement supporting\nthe chimneys.\n3. Wall construction: Beaded siding (clapboarding) painted\nwhite covers the facade (east elevation). The clapboards\n62\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 9)\nare 9\" wide with 7 1/4\" exposed. Asbestos brick siding is\nfound on the south of the main section. Unpainted clapboarding\ncovers the west side of the main section. The brick ell to\nthe west has common bond red brick walls with headers each\nfour rows.\n4. Framing: Stud walls and wood framing. The studs are 16\"\non center. At the southeast corner of the house (where a\nclapboard is missing) the interior plaster on lath is visible,\nas well as a 45° diagonal corner brace of wood attached\nto the corner post 6' from the ground.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc: The opening to the basement\nhas masonry retaining walls with steel doors and wooden\nstairs.\n6. Chimneys: Two rectangular brick chimneys (now covered with\nconcrete) rise inside the south wall of the main structure:\na large rectangular common bond brick stack is attached\ninside the west wall of the ell.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The east elevation contains two,\nfive panel wooden doors painted black; one in the center\nand the other near the north corner. The central one\nis flanked by black double panel, fixed louver shutters.\nAbove is a rectangular single light transom. The northern\ndoor has no shutters, but the casing is painted black.\nIts transom is rectangular and composed of four lights.\nb. Windows and shutters: Windows on the facade are nine/\nsix (first floor) and six/six double hund and flanked\nby black single panel fixed louver shutters. Nine over\nsix double hung wooden windows occur on the south side\nof the main structure. Wood frame double hung six/six\nwindows are evident on the brick ell. Shutters have\nvanished, but S shaped metal catches remain.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: A gable roof on the main section with\nnorth-south ridge is covered by metal roofing painted\nred. The ell's roof slopes down from north to south\nand the small lean-to on the rear of the ell slopes\ndown toward the west; both have tarred metal roofs.\n63\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 10)\nb. Cornice, eaves: Wooden moldings crown the simple wooden\nbox cornice above which is a rounded metal gutter on\nthe east side. On the south eave of the addition is a\nrounded metal gutter.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: A dormer with a metal covered\ngable roof is centrally located on the east slope of the\nroof; two others are symmetrically placed on the west\nslope. They all contain six/six double hung windows.\nC. Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans:\na. First floor: The northern doorway enters a stair hall\nthat runs the length of the north side, with the stairs\nin the northwest corner. The hall connects with the\nliving room by a door now closed off. The middle doorway\nenters the first floor living room, behind which is a\nsecond similar room. The ell, reached by a door in\nthe west wall, is divided into three sections: a large\nbedroom, then a toilet and shower, through which one\nreaches the large kitchen at the rear of the ell.\nb. Second floor: The second floor living room runs the\nlength of the east side, and is entered from the stair\nhall, as is the rear room. In the ell is a bedroom,\nfollowed by a kitchen with a toilet built into a south-\nwest corner closet.\nC. Third floor: A bedroom runs the length of the east\nwall; the stairway and hall, and a storage room occupy\nthe rear half.\n2. Stairways: Wooden dog-leg stairs are located in the north-\nwest corner of the house; 9 1/2 inch treads and 6 1/2 inch\nrisers. Simple square newel posts and small rectangular\nbalusters support a circular handrail. The balusters fit\ninto a groove in the bottom of the handrail. Under the\ntreads are applied curved wooden reliefs. First to second\nfloor is a run of 10 and 6.\n3. Flooring: The original six and seven inch wood plank flooring\nis still in use.\n4. Wall and cèiling finish: All are plaster.\n5. Doorways and doors: Original six panel wooden doors with\nsimple molded architraves.\n64\nADAMS-MASON HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-161 (Page 11)\n6. Decorative features and trim: Molded architraves about the\ndoors and windows, curved wooden stringer reliefs, simple\nchair and base moldings, and simple reeded mantels comprise\nthe decorative features.\n7. Notable hardware: Early lock boxes, hinges, shutter catches,\nand five star-shaped tie rod plates make up the hardware.\n8. Lighting: Modern incandescent.\n9. Heating: The simple wooden mantels (now painted white)\nabout the fireplaces are all similar with reeded pilasters,\nreeded frieze panels, and molded ledges. The four fireplaces\nare still used along with electric heaters to heat the\nhouse.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The house is located on\nthe west side of Thomas Jefferson Street between M Street\nand the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. It is part of a small,\nattractive residential cluster located on either side of the\nstreet.\n2. Enclosures: A modern fence encloses the rear brick court.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: On the east side is a herringbone red brick walk.\n5. Landscaping: A parking lot is to the south; trees shade\nthe side and front of the house.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n65\nAdams-Mason House\nfireplace foundation arch\n1072 Thomas Jefferson Street\nsoutheast corner of cellar\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nT.\nis\n&\nT.\n8\nif\nB.R.\nB.R.\nSTORAGE\n10\n6\n6 10\nI\nDEN\nDEN.\nA\nBEDDOOM\n.\nLIYING ROOM\nL.R.\nAdams-Mason House\n1072 Thomas Jefferson Street\nsketch plans\n67\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\n1058 Thomas Jefferson Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-153\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nLocation:\n1058 Thomas Jefferson Street (Georgetown), Washington, D.C.\nWest side of street, beginning 274 feet from corner\nof M Street and Thomas Jefferson Street, and on the\nC. E. 0. Canal towpath.\nPresent Owner:\nDoxiadis Associates.\nPresent Occupant: Same.\nPresent Use:\nOffices, drafting rooms, and conference rooms.\nStatement of\nThe earliest Masonic Lodge Building (1810) still standing\nSignificance:\nin the District of Columbia. It has many associations\nwith notable Georgetown members. The Lodge participated\nin laying the cornerstone of the Capitol in 1793. Archi-\ntecturally, the building contains a unique shallow\nwooden vault on the second floor.\nPART I. HISTROICAL INFORMATION:\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information\nis an incomplete chain of title to the land on which this\nstructure was built. The lodge occupies lot 1198, Square 800\n(old lot 28, old Square 59) in the original area of George-\ntown. References are to the Recorder of Deeds, District of\nColumbia.\n1780 Deed April 13, 1780\nRichard Wootton et ux Martha\nTo:\nWilliam Bayly\nLot 59\n1800 Deed April 4, 1800 recorded July 18, 1800 in\nLiber E folio 315\nWilliam Bayly et ux Susanna\nTo\nNotley Young\nClement Hill\nTrustees of George Digges (deceased)\nand William Campbell\nTo correct deed of May 5, 1787, Liber TBH folio 2\nin which lot 59 was called \"lot 60\".\n1800 Deed April 10, 1800 recorded April 18, 1800 in\nLiber E folio 317\n71\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS NO. DC-153 (Page 2)\nNotley Young\nClement Hilo, Trustees\nTo\nAnthony Reintzel\nLot 59\n1800 Deed May 19, 1800 recorded November 11, 1800 in\nLiber F folio 25\nMatthew Kennedy\nTo\nAnthony Reintzel\nSouth part of lot 58 (adjoining 59 to west).\n1801 Deed December 6, 1800 recorded January 10, 1801 in\nLiber F folio 163\nWilliam Campbell et ux Rebecca\nTo\nAnthony Reintzel\nOne undivided moiety of lot 59 in Georgetown.\n1807 Deed in Trust July 5, 1806 recorded January 3, 1807 in\nLiber Q folio 347\nAnthony Reintzel\nTo\nWalter Smith\nTrust--$9895. Among other property: \"On the west\nside of Jefferson Street one piece of ground 75 feet\nfront. Beginning at the end of 274 feet from the\ncorner of Bridge St. [M] and Jefferson St.\" N.B.:\nThis 75 foot front extends south embracing the Masonic\nLodge lot (27') plus the land of the subsequent\nC. & O. Canal.\n1811 Lease September 20, 1810 recorded February 5, 1811 in\nLiber Z folio 490\nAnthony Reintzel\nTo\nAlexander L. Joncherez\nJohn Hollingshead\nVincent King\nRobert Craig\nJohn Wirt\nLot in Georgetown on Jefferson Street: \"Beginning at\nthe end of 274 feet from the intersection of Bridge\n[M] and [Thomas] Jefferson Streets and running southerly\nwith the west side of Jefferson Street 25 feet; thence\nwestwardly parallel with Bridge Street 104' 9\"\nLease 99 years to and for the use of members constituting\nPotomac Masonic Lodge No. 43 [with] annual rental\nof $50 with privilege of purchase for $500.\"\n72\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 3)\n1811 Deed September 21, 1810 recorded February 5, 1811 in\nLiber 2 folio 492\nAnthony Reintzel\nTo\nRichard Smith\nSame property as above, but subject to the above\nlease.\n1812 Deed in Trust September 25, 1812 recorded November 9, 1812 in\nLiber AD folio 383\nJohn Hollingshead\nVincent King\nJohn Wirt\nRobert Craig\nTo\nAlexander L. Joncherez\nSame lot as above: \"James Greer for the Masonic Potomac\nLodge #5 (of which the Grantees are trustees) borrowed\n$1500 of the Union Bank of Georgetown and this indenture\nis to secure the aforesaid $1500.\"\n1816 Deed May 6, 1816 recorded July 14, 1816 in\nLiber AO folio 28\nRichard Smith et ux Covington\nTo\nJames Greer\nLodge lot: \"Subject to the terms and arrangements\nexpressed in a lease from Anthony Reintzel to Alexander\nL. Joncherez et al., dated September 20, 1810.\"\n1829 Deed May 13, 1829 recorded July 11, 1829 in\nLiber WB 26 folio 101\nJames Greer et ux Mary Ann B.\nTo\nChesapeake & Ohio Canal Co.\nTwo pieces of ground in Georgetown: \"for the boundary\nof one piece thereof beginning at the end of 299 feet\ndrawn southerly on the west boundary line of Jefferson\nStreet from Bridge Street it being at the southeast\ncorner of the lot and premises on which is erected\na Masonic Lodge, and run thence on said west boundary\nof Jefferson St. southerly 50 feet, westerly and\nparallel with bridge 104'9\" (End of lots 58\nand 59.)\n1844 Deed September 12, 1840 recorded July 22, 1844 in\nLiber WB 108 folio 461\nWilliam Hayman\nIsaac Bartlett\nGeorge W. Haller\nTrustees of the Potomac Lodge #5 of Georgetown\n73\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 4)\nand\nJohn Myers\nJeremiah Orme\nTrustees appointed in place of said Bartlett and\nHaller by majority resolution of said lodge\nTo\nPhilip Gormley\nMasonic Lodge lot (25' X 104' 9\").\n1894 Deed November 26, 1894 recorded in\nLiber 1952 folio 457\nPhilip F. Gormley\nTo\nHarrison S. Barbour\n1902 Deed December 23, 1902 recorded December 29, 1902 in\nLiber 2701 folio 131\nHarrison S. Barbour et ux Annie G.\nTo\nMary Gormley\n1927 Deed in Trust August 2, 1927 recorded August 3, 1927 in\nLiber 5923 folio 111\nPhilip F. Gormley et ux Maud\nCharles E. Gormley et ux Nellie C.\nJohn J. Gormley et ux Nora\nTo\nJ. Leo Kolb\nAmong other property of Mary Gormley, who died intestate\nJune 30, 1927, lot 800.\n1927 Deed October 11, 1927 recorded 17 October 1927 in\nLiber 6008 folio 273\nJ. Leo Kolb, trustee\nTo\nJohn J. Gormley et ux Nora\nIncludes lot 800.\n1947 Deed August 23, 1947 recorded October 28, 1947 in\nLiber 8610, folio 390\nJohn J. Gormley\nHelen R. Gormley\nFrances M. Gormley\nNora Gormley, widow of John J. Gormley Sr. and\ntrustee for Helen R. and Frances M. Gormley above\nMary Ellen Gormley, wife of John J. Gormley\nTo\nMarion H. Britt\nIncludes lot 800.\n74\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 5)\n1948 Deed December 18, 1947 recorded January 2, 1948 in\nLiber 8655 folio 366\nMarion H Britt\nTo\nCarmon P. Demarco et ux Helen E.\nTenants by entirety\nIncludes lot 800.\n1948 Deed December 23, 1947 recorded January 2, 1948 in\nLiber 8655 folio 372\nCarmon P. Demarco et ux Helen E.\nTo\nMartin I. Isen\nCarey Winston\nJoint tenants\nIncludes lot 800.\n1962 Deed April 25, 1962 recorded April 26, 1962 in\nLiber 11790 folio 470\nMilton Isen et ux Adele\nTo\nDoxiadis Associates Inc.\n(Delaware Corp.)\nIncludes lot 800.\n2. Date of Erection: The cornerstone was laid on October 18, 1810;\nthe building probably completed early in 1811. (A Century and\na Half of Freemasonry in Georgetown 1789-1939, Georgetown,\n1939). The land was leased to the lodge by Anthony Reintzel\n(himself a mason) on September 20, 1810 (recorded February\n5, 1811, Liber Z, Folio 490).\n3. Architect: Unknown. Probably suggestions by members and the\nspecific needs of Masonic rites.\n4. Original plans, constructions, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: The building has undergone con-\nsiderable alteration. The facade recessed arch, pediment\nrecess, and blind openings over the window were filled in\nat some time after about 1870. The roundhead windows on the\nfacade were probably changed to shallow arches at this time.\nThe bay windows were added some time after 1939, perhaps when\nmade into apartments. When purchased by Doxiadis Associates\nin 1962, the interior had been divided into smaller rooms by\nlight partitions. The renovation of 1962 gutted the interior,\nwalled in the front door, and cut a new first floor window\n(southeast corner). It also joined the building to the one\ndirectly behind it (not in this study).\n75\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 6)\n6. Important old views: A photograph in the Peabody Room of\nthe Georgetown Public Library, \"ca. 1870\" shows the building\nas it must have appeared when built. (Included in this Data\nBook).\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. History of the Masonic Lodge in Georgetown:\nThe Masonic movement was a popular one in the colonies and the\nnew United States, and it is thus not surprising that Lodges\nwere founded at an early date in Georgetown. The building at\n1058 Thomas Jefferson Street was used for a period of thirty\nyears as the center of their activity. Most of the following\ndata is from A Century and a Half of Freemasonry in George-\ntown 1789-1939, by Frederick W. Englert, Thomas L. Kidwell,\nand Ray B. Harris (Georgetown, Washington, D.C., 1939).\nIn 1789 the first Georgetown lodge (No. 9) was established\nby charter, and elected its first members in December. The\nAlexandria Lodge No. 22 (of which George Washington was Wor-\nshipful Master in 1789), Georgetown's Lodge No. 9, and Lodge\nNo. 15 of the Federal City all participated in the laying of\nthe cornerstone of the Capitol on September 18, 1793, at which\ntime George Washington used the marble-headed gavel that the\nGeorgetown Lodge still possesses. Lodge No. 9 ceased to exist,\nhowever, in 1794, in part due to the growth of Lodges No. 11\nand 15 in the Federal City which drew away many of the members\nthat, prior to their existence, made the journey to Georgetown\nfor Masonic meetings.\nOn October 22, 1795 a petition was sent to the Grand Lodge of\nMaryland to establish another lodge, and among the signers\nwere Anthony Reintzel, James Thompson, and Thomas Beatty Jr.\nall of whom had belonged to the earlier Lodge No. 9. The new\nlodge, given the title of Columbia Lodge No. 19, held its\nfirst meeting in Georgetown on November 7, 1795 with James\nThompson as Worshipful Master. It had twelve members. This\ntoo ceased for some reason in January, 1797. Like the Lodge\nNo. 9, no records have survived. In 1806 another attempt\nwas made, and on submitting the petition twice a third lodge\nwas established, the Potomac Lodge No. 43, the petition being\ngranted on November 11, 1806. Again, many of the members from\nthe previous lodges were signers.\nThis is the lodge that has continued until today. In 1811 it\nwas given a new charter and was changed in name to Potomac\nLodge No. 5, after delegates from the five District lodges\nmet and \"constituted the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.\n76\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 7)\nValentine Reintzel, active in the Georgetown lodge, and\nWorshipful Master for a total of 5 years, was chosen the first\nGrand Master.\n2. Origin of the Lodge building:\nThe following history of the Masonic Hall on Jefferson Street\nis on PP. 18 and 19 of A Century and a Half of Freemasonry\nin Georgetown.\n\"By the Summer of 1810 plans were under way to solicit funds\nfor the building of a Masonic Hall, and by September 17th\na committee was appointed and reported that it had partly\nagreed with Anthony Reintzel for a lot on Jefferson Street\n\"to lease forever at $2.00 per front foot per annum with the\nright of redemption by paying at any time $20.00 per front foot\nor to purchase now at $17, and requested the advice of the\nlodge.\" The Committee was instructed to lease the lot from\nBrother Reintzel and an additional committee was appointed\nto receive proposals and make contracts for the construction\nof the Hall. The lot consisted of 25 feet front and 103 feet\ndeep.\nOn October 18, 1810, the lodge laid the cornerstone for its\nown Masonic Hall. The lodge formed in procession and met\ntheir Masonic brethren from the City of Washington, joined\nby the Mayor, Members of the Corporation of Georgetown and\nby \"the Magistrates of the place\", and proceeded to the site\nof the lodge on Jefferson Street where Worshipful Master\nValentine Reintzel laid the cornerstone in ample Masonic\nform, after which the lodge went \"to the Presbyterian Meeting\nHouse.\" Later the lodge returned to Jefferson Street where\nthe Worshipful Master called his craft from labor to refreshment\n\"and after they had all partaken of a collation prepared for\nthe occasion, the lodge returned to its rooms\nIn December of that year plans were being consummated for for-\nmation of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, and by\nthe following May the Lodge accepted its Charter from this new\nGrand Lodge and received its present name, \"Potomac Lodge\nNo. 5\". The Charter was received from its own distinguished\nPast Master, Valentine Reintzel, first Grand Master of Masons\nin the District of Columbia.\nPotomac Lodge continued to meet in its own Hall on Jefferson\nStreet until 1840 when it was sold to Mr. Philip Gormley.\nTwo years later it purchased a 3-story house on Washington\nStreet, now 30th Street, opposite the Union Hotel, and by\nNovember 30th of 1842 had fitted the upper story as a Lodge,\nrenting the lower floors. Ten years later, in 1852, the\n77\n319-731 O-68-6\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS NO. DC-153 (Page 8)\nWashington Street place was sold and the lodge rented the\nthird story of \"Forrest Hall\" on what is now Wisconsin Avenue,\njust above the site of our present lodge hall.\"\n3. A. L. Joncherez:\nAlexander 'L. Joncherez was one of the prominent members of\nthe Georgetown lodge. In 1810 he was Secretary of Potomac\nLodge No. 43, in 1811 Senior Warden of Potomac Lodge No. 5,\nand in 1812 its Worshipful Master. Thus it is not surprising\nto find him among the group of members who in 1811 accepted\nthe lease of the new Lodge building from Anthony Reintzel,\nand in 1812, when Master of the lodge, accepted the deed in\ntrust. The Georgetown Assessment records for 1800 to 1807\n(National Archives Microcopy No. 605, roll 7) have two entries\nfor him, the earlier (\"Alexander Lewis Johncherez\") lists\nonly one house, with a rent of $100. The second (\"A. L.\nJohncherry\") lists 1 COW ($15), 1 horse ($40), and furniture\n($100) as the total assessable property. He was, then, not\na man of any great wealth.\n4. The Reintzel brothers:\nThe Reintzel family, active in Georgetown Masonic life, often\nappears in Georgetown real estate records. A building on M\nStreet (3258) owned by Anthony and then Valentine Reintzel\nbetween 1813 and 1815 was recorded in 1966. (HABS No. DC-122).\nAnthony Reintzel appears again in two buildings of the present\nsurvey. From 1800-1808 he owned the land on which the house\nat 1072 Thomas Jefferson Street was built and from 1800 to\n1807 the land on which the Potomac Lodge No. 5 was to be\nbuilt at 1058 Thomas Jefferson Street in 1810. It is not\nsurprising to find Anthony Reintzel connected with the Masonic\nlodge, for he was treasurer of Lodge No. 9 in 1792, Treasurer\nof Columbia Lodge No. 19 (same lodge, but under its second\ncharter) in 1795 and 1796, and in 1797 was its Worshipful\nMaster.\nJohn Valentine Reintzel (presumably his brother) was also active\nin the Masonic lodge, and in 1792 was the Junior Warden of Lodge\nNo. 9, and the following year its Worshipful Master. Under\na new (third) charter as Potomac Lodge No. 43 he was Treasurer\nin 1806, and its Worshipful Master from 1807 through 1810.\nIn A Century and a Half of Freemasonry in Georgetown 1789-1939\n(Georgetown, 1939) a biographical note tells us that Valentine\nReintzel was \"an influential citizen and identified with many\nof the progressive movements of his day,\" (p. 47) held a good\ndeal of land, was active in the Lodge. In 1791, at the first\nmeeting of the Corporation of Georgetown he was a Common\n78\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 9)\nCouncilman. His father (John Valentine Reintzel Sr.) came\nfrom Hamburg at the end of the 18th century. The old family\nBible, now in the Georgetown University Library, notes that\nValentine was born February 26, 1761. He died in 1817.\nYet a third Reintzel is noted, a John Reintzel who was Secretary\nof Columbia Lodge No 19 in 1795, Junior Warden in 1796, and\nTreasurer of Lodge No. 43 in 1807 and 1808. A Daniel Reintzel\nwas Mayor of Georgetown from 1806 to 1808. The spelling of\nhis name varies and in Jackson's Chronicles of Georgetown\n(Washington, D.C., R.O. Polkinhorn, 1878.), as both Rentzel,\nand Reitzel.\nThe approximate wealth of these gentlemen can be gauged by\nthe Assessment Records for Georgetown, of 1800 to 1807 (National\nArchives, Microcopy 605, Group 351, roll 7.)\nAnthony Reintzel held the following:\nLot No. 6 with improvements\n2400\nPart of lot No. 58 improved\n600\nLot No. 62 Fishing Lane\n1000\nLot No. 59 Jefferson Street\n2000\n$6000\n1 horse\n50\n1 cart and dray\n30\n1 negroe man, woman & boy\n300\nfurniture\n40\n$420\nDuring this period various sales decreased it by $770, and\n\"for new house on corner\" was added $500, so the total assessment\nwas $6150.\nValentine Reintzel held the following:\nLand and improvements on Jefferson St.\n3500\n2 negroe men\n300\n3 do. women\n160\n5 do. boys\n140\n2 do. girls\n60\n1 horse\n40\n1 cow and calf\n20\nfurniture\n300\n$4420\nDaniel Reintzel also held property, a house, negroes (3) and\nlivestock to a total of $5465. At the beginning of this volume\n(1800-1807) is a page marked \"additional assessments made by\nDaniel Reintzel\" and the date May 19, 1807.\n5. Washington Directories provide the following tenant information:\n79\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 10)\n1896\nPhilip F. Gormley, carpenter (at 721 14th N.W.) res\n1058 Jefferson.\n1915-16\nMrs. Mary Gormley\n1917-27 Mrs. Mary Gormley, grocer\n1928-43 John J. Gormley, grocer\n1948-56 vacant\n1960\nMrs. Judith T. MacMillan\n1965\nDoxiadis Associates, Inc.\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\nWashington City Directories.\nAssessment Records (National Archives).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Frederick W. Englert, Thomas\nL. Kidwell, and Ray B. Harris, A Century and a Half of Free-\nmasonry in Georgetown 1789-1939, (Georgetown, Washington, D.C.\n1939).\nRecords of the Columbia Historical Society.\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: District of Columbia\nBuilding permits.\nMasonic records (perhaps Alexandria Washington Masonic Memorial\nlibrary).\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION:\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: \"Now remodeled as a planner/architect's\noffice, the [Lodge] building ties down one corner of the city's\nmost romantic single block.\" (A Guide to Architecture of\nWashington, D.C., HughNewe11 Jacobsen, AIA, Editor, 1965).\nThe building demonstrated the use of various architectural\nmotifs to create an interesting facade which has since been\naltered, but retains some of the earlier expression. An\ninteresting barrel vault spans the interior, enabling the top\nfloor to be partitioned without interference with a structural\nsystem.\n2. Condition of fabric: The lodge has been fairly well maintained\nexternally, but the interior has undergone complete modernization\nSince 1870, a window has been added on the south. (in order to\nmake the fenestration symmetrical,) and two bay windows on the\n80\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 11)\neast side have been attached. The east door has been removed,\nround arch windows have been altered to segmental, and several\nblind openings concealed under a stucco veneer.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Rectangular layout, with parapet gable\nends; 42' 8\" by 21' 7\" (not including the adjoining building\nnow incorporated in the rear.) Three bay facade, and south\nside. Two stories, with sunken basement.\n2. Foundation: Stone in ordinary rubble construction.\n3. Wall construction: A veneer of scored stucco in smooth coursed\nashlar covers the brick facade (east elevation). On the facade\nare two splayed projecting bay windows (not original) below\na string course and blind arch (which in 1870 was a double blind\narch). Extending up from the horizontally bisecting string\ncourse on the outer edges are projecting pilaster strips which\nultimately merge into a triple projected brick course cornice.\nAt the midpoint of the string course, spring two pilaster strips\njoined at the upper end by a round arch enclosing a blind arched\nopening. A false facade parapet extends above the roof line\non the east side. The remaining walls are common bond brick\nwith headers every six rows. All walls are painted a cream\ncolor.\n4. Framing: The wooden framing resting. on load bearing brick\nwalls was apparently reinforced during the renovation in 1962.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc: Two steel bar grills beneath\nthe bay windows cover two areaways, each opening to two modern\nmetal windows containing a casement window and a fixed window,\neach with three lights. The retaining walls are brick. An\nold stone stairway leads down in the northern areaway.\n6. Chimneys: A high brick stack located inside the north wall\nis capped with four projected brick courses, and a metal flue.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: On the east elevation, at the second\nfloor level appears a blind arch, below which was the\nmain entranceway. This was removed during the renovation\nin 1962. At present the main entrance opens onto the towpath\n(on the south side) and is enclosed by long narrow single\npane transom and side panels. The door is six panel, of\nwood.\n81\nPOTOMAC LODGE NO. 5\nHABS No. DC-153 (Page 12)\nb. Windows and shutters: A pair of flat black splayed bay\nwindows are symmetrically placed on the east elevation.\nEach consists of four, six/six double hung wooden windows.\nEach bay is crowned with a hipped metal (standing seam)\nroof. Two/two double hung wooden sash windows repeat around\nthe Lodge in openings created by steel lintels (first floor)\nand brick segmental arches and flat arches (second floor).\nWindows have wooden sills. Two panel fixed louver shutters\n(painted flat black) flank all windows, except the bay\nwindows and those on the north.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The east-west gable roof has raised brick\ngables on each end.\nb. Cornice, eaves: A projecting corbeled brick cornice com-\nposed of a course of headers and two of stretchers crowns\nthe east gable.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: None.\nC. Description of Interior: Besides the second floor barrel vault\nand one mid 19th century mantel, the interior has been remodeled\nso that nothing remains to indicate its original state. The\nwooden framed barrel vault at present is covered with plaster.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The Lodge is situated on\nthe northwest corner of the intersection of the C & O Canal\nand Thomas Jefferson Street. With pleasant foliage and many\nearly structures (including the canal) around it, the Lodge\nis in a choice location.\n2. Enclosures: In the rear is a wooden fence enclosing a small\nrear yard.\n3. Outbuildings: The brick addition (west end) was once a separate\nbuilding.\n4. Walks: A common bond red brick public walk is on the east.\nTo the South is the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and a cobblestone\ntowpath.\n5. Landscaping: Hedges with ivy are between the towpath and the\nsouth wall.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n82\nPotomac Lodge No. 5\n1058 Thomas Jefferson Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nPotomac Lodge No. 5\nphoto about 1870\nPeabody Room, Georgetown Public Library\n83\nFEDERAL HOUSE\n1069 Thomas Jefferson Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-160\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nLocation:\n1069 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W. (Georgetown), Washington,\nD.C. East side of street, about halfway between M\nSt. and the C. & 0. Canal.\nPresent Owner:\nMr. & Mrs. John K. Mansfield\nPresent Occupant: Same.\nPresent Use:\nPrivate residence.\nStatement of\nAn attractive early 19th century residence with fine\nSignificance:\ninterior details; formerly with a shop on the first\nfloor, living rooms above.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following is an in-\ncomplete chain of title to the land on which this house\nwas built. The site is Square 1197, lot 805 (old Square\n27, old lot 60 and 61, parts of old sub-lots Nos. 6 and\n7). The references are to the Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia. N.B.: Variant measurements and overlappings\noccur because the platted area was not originally measured\naccurately.\n1797 Right of Way January 8, 1797 recorded January 8, 1797 in\nLiber B folio 619\nRobert Peter\nTo\nCorporation of Georgetown\n\"Beginning at the south side of Bridge Street [M]\nat the end of 239' 6\" in easterly direction from\nnorthwest corner of Bridge Street and Fishing Lane\nand running southerly parallel with Fishing Lane\nuntil it intersects the north side of Causeway [K\nStreet] easterly with north side of causeway for\nthe length of 60', northerly parallel with first line\nto Bridge Street; thence to beginning.\" Peter conveys\nas much of the above ground as is included in his\nlot 60 for a public highway (Thomas Jefferson Street).\n1798 Deed August 3, 1798 recorded August 4, 1798 in\nLiber D folio 22\n87\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 2)\nJohn Howes\nTo\nJohn Thompson\nConveys lot 61 in Georgetown, commonly called the\n\"Spring Lot\".\n1799 Deed January 30, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 269\nJohn Thompson\nTo\nJames Thompson\nLot 61.\n1799 Deed May 14, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 272\nJames Thompson\nTo\nRobert Peter\nLot 61.\n1799 Partition May 20, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 267\nRobert Peter\nJames Thompson\nJohn M. Gantt\nA division of lot 61 and part of lot 60. \"It is\nmutually agreed that said lot 61 and part of lot 60\nshall be divided into 12 lots, as numbered on the\nwithin map that the lots 12, 11, 7, 6, 1 and 3\nshall be conveyed to Robert Peter....\" \"Lot 7\nbegins at the end of the first line of lot #6,\n[194' from the corner] running thence south with\nJefferson Street 34 feet, thence east 105 feet to\nBeall's Addition, thence north 34 feet, thence\nwest 105 feet to the beginning.\"\n1811 Will of Robert Peter (Jr.) dated June 23, 1809\nGives his real estate and personal property to his\nbrothers Thomas Peter, David Peter and George Peter.\nLetters testamentary issued February 13, 1811.\n1812 Partition dated June 17, 1812 recorded October 14, 1812 in\nLiber AD folio 319\nThomas Peter\nDavid Peter\nGeorge Peter\nMargaret Dick\nLots 6, 7, 11 and 12 (of lots 60 and 61) on east side\nof Jefferson Street to George Peter.\n88\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 3)\n1813 Deed April 2, 1813 recorded September 7, 1813 in\nLiber AF folio 227\nGeorge Peter et ux Ann\nTo\nNicholas Hedges\n183'8\" from northeast corner of Bridge and Jefferson\nStreets and southerly from the said corner with east\nside of Jefferson Street. 22'8\" easterly parallel\nto Bridge [M] Street, 105' to extremity of the old\ntown, northerly with line of old town 22'8\" and\nwesterly parallel to Bridge St. 105' to Jefferson\nSt., and place of beginning.\" Consideration, $453.34.\n1820 Deed of Trust August 16, 1820 recorded August 17, 1820 in\nLiber AZ folio 69\nTrueman Beck\nTo\nWilliam Morgan\nSame lot as above; to secure Thomas L. McKenney,\nSuperintendent of Indian trade in the sum of $1326\nfor goods and merchandise. This deed also mentions\nthe house (on this lot) in which Mr. Beck was living\nand would continue to live although the property was\nbeing held in trust. Deeds of 1806-1820, however,\nshow no transfer of this property to Trueman Beck.\n1821 Deed November 18, 1820 recorded February 7, 1821 in\nLiber WB1 folio 214\nNicholas Hedges\nTo\nUnion Bank of Georgetown\nConsideration, $1,000 (same lot as above).\n1828 Deed November 19, 1828 recorded November 21, 1821 in\nLiber WB 23 folio 465\nTench Ringgold, Marshal\nTo\nUnion Bank of Georgetown\nSeized and sold by virtue of \"fieri facias\" in re\nUnion Bank of Georgetown vs Trueman Beck (in sum of\n$2200) (same lot as above).\n1858 Deed December 3, 1857 recorded December 22, 1858 in\nLiber JAS 166 folio 184\nJohn Marbury\nRobert Read\nRichard Cruikshank\nTo\nMorris Adler\n89\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 4)\n183'8\" from northeast corner Bridge and Jefferson\nStreets. First parties execute as trustees of\nproperty and effects of late Union Bank of Georgetown.\n1873 Will of Morris Adler, dated February 14, 1867\nWill Book #12, page 541 (died, 1873)\nMaurice Julius Adler, son\n)\nWilliam H. Dougal, son-in-law ) executors\n1897 Will of John M. Adler, M.D. dated June 5, 1897\nProbated March 10, 1904, Equity No. 25497\nLeaves all his property including his \"share\nand interest in the estate\" of his father Morris\nAdler, to wife Harriet Adler.\n1908 Deed in Trust March 23, 1908 recorded September 26, 1908 in\nLiber 3174 folio 224\nMaurice J. Adler et ux Gertrude H.\nHarriet B. Adler, widow of John Adler, dec.\nMinnie D. Wheatley et vir Walter T.\nHelen D. Herr et vir Charles\nWilliam M. Dougal\nVirginia D. Leetch et vir William A.\nGrace G. Dougal\nKatherine A. Dougal\nTo\nMaurice J. Adler\nWilliam M. Dougal\n\"All right, title and interest of first parties in\nand to all the estate real and personal and of which\nMorris Adler died seized and possessed.\"\n1912 Will of Maurice J. Adler, dated April 16, 1908\nWill Book #78, page 278, (died, July 26, 1912)\n1918 Deed November 18, 1918 recorded November 20, 1918 in\nLiber 4132 folio 171\nWilliam M. Dougal\nsurvivor of the Deed of Trust of 1908 above\nTo\nHenry Weaver\nLaura P. Weaver\n1940 Deed January 8, 1940 recorded January 8, 1940 in\nLiber 7430 folio 550\nLouise S. Brown\nLewis J. Brown\ndevisees under will of Laura P. Weaver\nTo\nHarriet Holther\n90\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 5)\n1947 Deed June 26, 1947 recorded June 27, 1947 in\nLiber 8520 folio 169\nHarriet Holther\nTo\nJames Kimbel Vardaman Jr. et ux Beatrice Lane\n1954 Deed July 9, 1954 recorded July 14, 1954 in\nLiber 10229 folio 567\nJames Kimble Vardaman, Jr. et ux Beatrice Lane\nTo\nHarold M. Curtiss Jr.\n1961 Deed May 22, 1961 recorded June 2, 1961 in\nLiber 805 folio 487\nHarold M. Curtiss, Jr. (unmarried)\nTo\nJohn Kenneth Mansfield\nJane Shalley Mansfield\n\"Begin from 183'8\" southerly from south line of\nM St: south on east line of Thomas Jefferson Street\n22'8\", thence easterly parallel to Bridge 105'\nto extremity of Old Town; thence northerly parallel\nto Thomas Jefferson 22'8\" thence westerly in straight\nline to Jefferson St. and to beginning.\" Recorded\nas parts of lots 805, 833 and 854, Sq. 1197.\n2. Date of erection: Between 1815 and 1819. The Georgetown\nAssessments of Real and Personal Property of 1813-1818,\n1815 and 1818-1819 (National Archives Microcopy 605, Group\n351, rolls 9, 10 and 11) provide the following data:\n1813\nNicholas Hedges, part lot 60 (22.8') Jefferson -\nvacant $500\n1815\nNicholas Hedges, part 60, Georgetown, 22.8\nJefferson - vacant - - $330\n1818-19 Trueman Beck, part lot 60 Oldtown, Jefferson 22.8,\n3 story B. house $3500\nThe chain of title seems to indicate that Hedges was the\nlegitimate owner, and Beck may have been the builder of the\nhouse. Further research might straighten out the issue.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: Extensive rebricking of the\nfacade suggests that the shop door and widely spaced first\n91\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 6)\nfloor windows may be later than the original construction.\nIn 1941 Harriet Holter completely restored the interior of\nthe house. At this time the front doorway between the\ntwo first story windows was bricked up (see photos taken\nby R. W. D. Jewett in August 1941 during the restoration;\ncopy photos with this data book, originals in possession\nof Mr. & Mrs. Mansfield). The doorway between the front\nand rear ground floor rooms was enlarged, and a modern\nutilities wing was added to the rear to house modern kitchen,\nbath, laundry, etc. A rear porch was also added, and the\nbrickwork of the house repointed. The facade is now painted\nto mask the rebricking.\n6. Important old views: An old photograph iń the Library of\nCongress, Dept. of Prints and Photographs, shows the house\nwith its shop-door at the extreme right of the photograph\n(Pictorial Archives of Early American Architecture No.\nDC/Geo/6-1.)\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. Nicholas Hedges:\nFrom 1813 to 1821 Nicholas Hedges owned 1069 Thomas Jefferson\nStreet, and it was during this time, between 1815 and 1819\nthat the house was built, apparently by Trueman Beck. Mr.\nHedges owned various property in Georgetown. In Richard\nJackson's Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-1878, (Wash-\nington, D.C., R.O. Polkinhorn, 1878) we find that he was a\npew holder in the Presbyterian church on the 1805 to 1808 list\n(p. 155). The Assessments of 1800-07 (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, Group 351, roll 7) show that he held the\nfollowing property:\n1 lot on the Causway [sic]\n400\n1 improved lot on High St. [Wisc. Ave.]\n1300\n1 improved lot on Washington [30th] St.\n900\n1 COW\n15\nfurniture\n100\n$2715\n2. Tench Ringgold:\nAs Marshall of the District of Columbia, Tench Ringgold\noften appears in Georgetown deeds. Here, for example, we\nsee that he transfered this property to the Union Bank of\nGeorgetown in 1828 after it had been seized by the court\nfrom Trueman Beck. Mr. Ringgold seems to have been a man\nof some position, for he is mentioned several times in Mrs.\n92\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 7)\nWilliam Thornton's diary for 1800. On February 23, 1800\nhe came to the Thorntons' house (in the Federal City)\nto look at an English Mare he wanted to buy (Records of\nthe Columbia Historical Society, v. 10, p. 110). On April\n23, \"Mr. Tench Ringgold took the English Mare away.\"\n(p. 133). Mrs. Thornton notes that on October 28, 1800\n\"Mr. Tench Ringgold came to dinner.\" (p. 206). He also\nowned several \"rope walks\" where rope was made, one in the\nvicinity of Greenleaf point, and another (before 1812)\non the Mall opposite the center Market, which he operated\nwith a Mr. Heath. After the war of 1812 he assisted the\nrebuilding: \"General Van Ness, Richard Bland Lee, and\nTench Ringgold were appointed a commission by President\nMadison for the reconstruction of public buildings, March,\n1815.\" (CHS, v. 22, p. 154.)\n3. John Marbury: see HABS No. DC-154.\n4. Morris Adler, who owned the house from 1857-1873 was Secre-\ntary of the Potomac Lodge No. 5 from 1855 to 1861, and from\n1871 to 1873.\n5. John Gantt:\nJohn Gantt participated with Robert Peter and James Thompson\nin the partition of lots 60 and 61 in 1799 (Liber D folio\n267). The assessment records for 1800 to 1807 give us a good\nidea of this gentleman's wealth and property holdings.\n(Microcopy 605, Group 351, roll 7)\n2 lots in Beatty Addn\n400\n2 lots in Beatty Addn\n800\n1 lot near old warehouse\n800\n13 lots in Holmeads Addition\n1300\n1 negroe man\n140\n2 negroe women\n200\n1 girl and child\n100\n2 horses & Pheaton\n300\n1 cow\n10\nfurniture\n400\n$4450\n6. Mrs. Gertrude Ochs, 1074 Thomas Jefferson St., a long time\nresident of the area recalls that for \"many years\" the lower\nfloor, with its separate entrance, was a shop in which\ncigars were made. Both lower rooms were used. (Interview,\nSeptember 7, 1967.)\n93\n319-731 O-68-7\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 8)\n7. Washington directories provide the following tenant infor-\nmation:\n1915-29 Henry J. Weaver\n1931-37\nMrs. Laura Weaver\n1939\nLilian M. Denton\n1941\nvacant\n1943\nThomas Bancroft\n1948-54 James K. Vardaman, owner\n1956\nHarold M. Curtiss, owner\n1960\nDavid M. Bane\n1961-67 Mr. & Mrs. John K. Mansfield\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds,\nWashington, D.C.\nNational Archives Microcopy 605, Group 351, rolls 9, 10\nand 11.\n2. Secondary and published sources: Journal of the Columbia\nHistorical Society.\nRichard P. Jackson, The Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C.\n1751-1878, Washington, D.C., R. O. Polkinhorn, 1878.\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: Further search of\ninformation on Hedges and Beck.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: This simple Federal house has a\nfine interior, with four original mantels, various ceiling\nand base moldings, and other ornamented pieces. Though it\nhas been slightly altered in recent years, the layout is\nessentially the same as when it was a combination shop and\nresidence.\n2. Condition of fabric: The west elevation has lost practically\nall of its original Flemish bond. Reinforcing devices have\nmade the building structurally sound. The interior, and\nthe ell containing the modern utilities are well maintained.\n94\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 9)\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall Dimensions: Rectangular structure oriented east-west,\nmeasuring 21'2\" by 34'4\" with an addition projecting to\nthe rear, which measures 21' 3\" long. Three bay facade,\n2 1/2 stories, with the basement exposed under the porch\nat the rear.\n2. Foundations: Brick foundation walls are evident in the base-\nment.\n3. Wall construction: The remains of a fine Flemish bond red\nbrick wall are apparent on the edges of the west elevation;\nthe central area is in common bond (with headers every\nsix rows) and the whole facade is painted red. This same\ncommon bond occurs on south elevation. The new addition on\nthe east is common bond with headers every seven rows.\nThe northern partition is a party wall.\n4. Framing: Load bearing brick walls with wood joist system.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: The front entrance is\ntwo steps down a small brick entrance well. The entranceway\nis set in a 1' 2 3/8\" wooden paneled reveal; 11 1/2\" of\nthe reveal is veneered with white wooden paneling (eight\npanels). Two white wooden porches have been added above the\nsunken brick patio adjacent to the east side of the house.\nThe upper porch is awkwardly situated because the entrance\nto is is through a window.\n6. Chimneys: Two brick chimneys, now covered with concrete,\nare located against the north wall midway up the east and\nwest slopes. Both are rectangular in shape, with courses\nstepped back as they approach the top. Both have projecting\nterracotta flues.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The main entrance, located near the\nsouth corner on the west facade, is a round arched\nopening. The deep wooden paneled reveal encloses a\nround arch transom with Gothic arch shaped lights\nseparated by curved wooden muntins above a heavy six\npanel wooden door. In 1941 a doorway with a segmental\narch was removed from between the two windows on the\nwest elevation; this was the entrance to the ground floor\nshop.\n95\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 10)\nb. Windows and shutters: Six over six double hung wooden\nsash windows on the first and second floors are protected\nbeneath metal frame storm windows containing two large\npanes of glass. The windows have steel lintels and\nare flanked by double panel fixed louver shutters (painted\ndark green) on the second floor, west elevation. The\nfirst floor windows, however, are under segmental arches\nand have shutters hinged only on one side. The windows\nhave stone sills below. Shutter catches hold shutters\non the first floor level on the west elevation.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The steep north-south gable roof is\ncovered in metal and painted red.\nb. Cornice, eaves: A continuous wooden strip with metal flashin\nforms a sort of frieze, east and west eaves also have\na curved metal gutter.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: Two dormers with metal\ncovered gable roofs are symmetrically placed on the\nwest slope. Each has a four pane fanlight above a\nsix over six double hung window enclosed by two simple\nsmall wooden pilasters and a simple open pediment\nwith returned cornice.\nC. Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans: East-west side hall with two rooms to the\nnorth on each floor. See measured plan of first floor.\n2. Stairways: Stairs have simple, well designed newel posts\nand balusters, running dog stringer appliques, and pendant\nbosses at turns. The main stair is dog-leg with runs of\n12 and 5; 7\" risers and 10 3/4\" treads; the wooden rectangular\nbalusters are painted white. The circular handrail is\nflattened on the bottom side. From the landing are 4 steps\nto the bathroom in the second floor ell. Stairs to the\nthird floor have a run of 11 and 6, with 3 winders going\nto the porch on the top of the ell. A straight stair goes\nto the basement.\n3. Flooring: Wood planks about six inches wide.\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: Walls, usually with chair moldings,\nare plastered or papered; in one room, there is a three\ninch beaded wooden wainscoting. Ceilings are plaster.\n96\nFEDERAL HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-160 (Page 11)\n5. Doorways and doors: Doorways have simple architraves.\nMost interior doors are wooden 5 panels with the top two\npanels smaller. There is a nicely handled 8 5/8\" thick\nwooden hall arch.\n6. Decorative features and trim: Three types of ceiling moldings\nare found: foliated cavetto molding with a cable base;\nsimple cable molding; and repetitive half circles molding.\nHeavy, well carved chair and base moldings occur throughout.\n7. Notable hardware: Lock boxes (3 7/8\" x 7 1/4\") with brass\nknobs.\n8. Lighting, type fixtures: Modern ceiling and table incandescent\nlighting.\n9. Heating: Fireplaces are still in use, though the house has\ngas furnace steam heat. Finely handled mantels exist\nthroughout, three of which are of beautiful dark wood with\nan abundance of reeding and well-handled moldings. The\nside colonnettes vary, but all rest on squared plinths.\nSuperimposed on these are well carved entablature shelves.\nIn the second floor living room is a more ornate blond\nmantel with decorative compo motifs. Unlike the others\nwhich have simple reeded and carved friezes, this one is\nornamented with applied swag-like foliated decor. The\ncenter panel contains a small bas-relief of Diana and her\ndog.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: Facing west onto Thomas\nJefferson between M Street and the Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal, this late Federal house is located in an old residen-\ntial group.\n2. Enclosures: Modern wooden and brick fence around rear court.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: To the west it abuts a tree-lined red herringbone\nbrick public walk.\n5. Landscaping: A rear court of flat basket weave red brick is\nsurrounded by ivy, roses, ferns, geraniums, magnolias, and\napple trees.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n97\nFederal House\n1069 Thomas Jefferson Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nmantel detail, second floor living room\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n98\n21'\n33'\nU\n6'-10\"\nD\nHALL\nKITCHEN\n4'-\nD\nU\nDINING\nLIBRARY\n21\n=\nPORCH\n11'-4\"\n66\n12'\n14'-2\"\n9'\n16'\n15'-7\"\nZ\naddition\noriginal\no'\n4'\n8'\n1069 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W Washington, D.C.\nHistoric American Buildings Survey\nMeasured and Drawn Summer 1967\nFEDERAL HOUSE\n1063 Thomas Jefferson Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE\nDistrict of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nINVENTORY\nCOUNTY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\n2. NAME\nSTREET NO. 1063 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.\nFederal House\nDATE OR PERIOD\nORIGINAL OWNER\nunknown\nearly 19th century\nSTYLE\nORIGINAL USE\nresidence\nFederal\nARCHITECT\nPRESENT OWNER\nMrs. Margaret Barton\nunknown\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nresidence\nunknown\nWALL CONSTRUCTION\nbrick\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES\n2 and 1/2 with basement\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nThe facade has many attractive details, such as: splayed flat stone lintels\nwith keystones, a round stone entrance arch with keystone, a modillioned\nwhite wooden cornice with large carved terminal brackets, and a wooden\ndormer pediment containing a wooden keystone. The house is covered with a\nnorth-south gable metal roof. A brick offset chimney is at the south apex.\nWindows are nine over six and six over six double hung, some with double\npanel fixed louver shutters, painted black.\nThe interior has been somewhat altered with new floors and an addition on\nthe east side. The pleasant interior has well handled functional details.\nIn the dormer attic the original 7 and 12 inch wide flooring is sill in\nplace. Most walls are plaster, but in the living room the brick (load\nbearing) walls are exposed and painted white. There are heavy base\nmoldings throughout. The stairways are the essence of simplicity with\nsquare newels (no caps), rectangular balusters, and rectangular handrails\nwith chamfered top edges. The fireplaces have molded wooden mantels.\nIn the rear is a flat common bond red brick irregularly shaped, pavement\nwith bordering ivy and roses. On the west side the house abuts a tree\nlined walk of red herringbone brick. It is located in a small well\nmaintained residential section.\nGood but\nS. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No\nInterior altered\nExterior Good\nM Street\nThomas Jefferson\n1063\nCEO\nCanal\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Authar, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD\nSeptember, 1967\n103\n104\n1063\nFederal House\n1063 Thomas Jefferson Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\nCHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL\nSouth of M Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-147\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL, GEORGETOWN\nLocation:\nRunning through Georgetown, D.C., east and west,\nparallel to M Street and about 1 block south of it.\nPresent Owner:\nNational Park Service, Washington, D.C.\nPresent Occupant: Not Applicable.\nPresent Use:\nScenic and recreational.\nStatement of\nA remarkable engineering achievement of the early\nSignificance:\n19th century that played an important role in the\ndevelopment of Georgetown commerce, and stimulated\ntrade and settlement of the interior.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. and B. History of the Canal:\nThe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which cuts through Georgetown\nbetween M Street and the Potomac River, is today an important\nasset: it provides an open space which with picturesque\nwalks enhances the surrounding property; in some areas\nbenches provide a pleasant park-like retreat; it is used\nfor National Park Service barge trips; and here begins a\npopular walking trail to Great Falls, along the restored\ntow path. For many, it is also a reminder of the commercial\nactivity of 18th and 19th century Georgetown, and of the\nengineering skill of the past century. But while we appre-\nciate the Canal for these reasons, we must remember that\nit was built purely as a commercial venture, and although\ncare was taken to do the work well and solidly, virtually\nno thought was given to scenic or aesthetic factors: the\nearly Patowmack Company, for example, contemplated blasting\nout the Little Falls and the Great Falls of the Potomac\nwhich were to them simply impediments to travel.\nThere were many reasons for planning the improvement of\nthe navigability of the Potomac river. Especially in the\n18th century, when roads were completely inadequate for trade,\nthe river was an important link with the interior of the\nvast tract of Virginia. It was also important simply as\na highway independent of any commercial activity. In the\n19th century the commercial aspect was greatly increased\nby enlarged markets for coal, lumber, fur, tobacco, and\nother commodities. Thus interest in making the Potomac\nmore navigable first gave rise to the Patowmack Co. in the\n18th century, which constructed locks and canals around\nmajor river obstructions, and finally, the far more re-\nliable and successful Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Co. of the\n107\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 2)\n19th century which obviated the unreliability of river\ntravel, by constructing a canal parallel to the river, and\ndrawing water from it. This is the canal that exists today,\nextending 184.5 miles from the tidal lock in Rock Creek\nat the eastern side of Georgetown, to Cumberland, Maryland.\nThe first 22 miles of the canal are now restored and operable.\n1747 The first formal interest in the Western part of Virginia\nand the Ohio River valley was manifested in 1747 when the\nOhio Company was formed to colonize the Ohio River valley.\nThe company was made up largely of Virginians, and Augustine\nWashington, George Washington's half-brother, was a major\nshareholder. Exploration, which utilized the Potomac River\nconsiderably, was begun in 1750 and in 1754, the year the\nFrench and Indian War began, they were building Fort Prince\nGeorge at what is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This fort,\ncaptured and finished by the French, was renamed Fort\nDuquesne.\nGeorge Washington was actually one of the first to envision\nmaking the Potomac navigable all the way to Cumberland,\nMaryland. As an assistant on a survey expedition sent\nout in 1748 by Thomas Fairfax, 6th baron, (who owned large\ntracts of Western Virginia) Washington became familiar\nwith the region, and in 1753 had been sent again (by Robert\nDinwiddie, Governor of Virginia) into the Ohio valley to\nassert British claims against the French. His next excur-\nsion in 1754 to what is now Waterford, Pa., essentially\nbegan the French and Indian war.\nThus Washington had more knowledge of, and contact with\n1754 the area than most men, and in 1754 dreamed of a link via\nthe Potomac to the Ohio River (and the Mississippi) which\nwould be a most important strategic and commercial link\nwith the Eastern Shore.\n1776 The American Revolution clearly put a stop to earlier plans,\nand so it was not until a few months after Washington\nresigned as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in\n1785 1785 that he could turn again to his pet project. He\nsecured passage in the legislatures of Virginia and Maryland\nof acts to help organize a company that would undertake\nthe work that was needed to make the Potomac navigable.\nWith the appropriate authorization, stock was sold, and George\nWashington, not surprisingly, was elected president of the\nnewly formed Patowmack Company. He was the zealous head\nof the enterprise until he resigned in 1789 to accept the\npresidency of the United States; but until then he devoted\nmuch of his time to supervising actual work on removal of\nobstructions in the river, and the various locks and canals\nthat were to circumvent rapids that could not be blasted\n108\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 3)\nout. In August, work was actually begun on clearing rocks\nand sand bars from the river and in deepening parts by the\nconstruction of dams along the shore.\n1786 The following year, 1786, construction of locks on the\nVirginia side of the Potomac began, to pass around other\nobstructions. Those at Great Falls, for example, are still\nto be seen.\n1800 Two significant references to the progress of the Potomac\nCompany canal project at this time are to be found in the\nDiary of Mrs. William Thornton. On Sunday, January 5th,\n1800 she records that her husband and several friends\n\"were proposing to go to the great Falls, twelve miles from\nG. Town to see what state the works are in, & to know what\nis necessary to be done first as the Potomak Company ob-\ntained a loan from the State and they mean to proceed with\nthe Canal Locks &c as fast as possible.\" (Records of the\nColumbia Historical Society, V. 10, p. 91) For Thursday,\nJanuary 23rd, 1800: \"After Dinner Mama & I went to George\nTown to a few stores, and then to see Mrs. Dorsey--Found\nthere Mr. Nicholas King--engaged in Drawings & calculations\nrespecting the Locks &c at the Great Falls afterwards Mr.\nLaird & Mr. J. Mason came in, they with Mr Dorsey are ap-\npointed by the Potomak Company as a Board to set in George\nTown to attend to their business.\" (CHS, V. 10, p. 98)\n1802 Work on the locks, and clearing the river progressed slowly,\npartly due to labor shortages, and so it took 17 years to\nbring the work near completion. In 1802, five canals were\ncompleted: around Little Falls, on the Maryland side; around\nGreat Falls on the Virginia side; around Seneca Falls, and\ntwo canals at Harpers Ferry. These varied in length from\n50 yards to over 2 miles. Two types of craft used the\nwaterway, log rafts (\"gondolas\") that were usually broken\nup at Georgetown, and pointed boats (\"sharpers\") that were\npoled back up. This then, was the precedent both for trade\non the Potomac, and for man made improvements that reached\ntheir height in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.\nThat same year, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the well known\narchitect, completed a map entitled \"Plans and sections of\nthe proposed continuation of the Canal at the Little Falls\nof the Potomack\" and this plotted a route of a canal of\nsome extent, and parallel with the river. Although the\npath he took through Georgetown is more angular than the\none constructed 30 years later, it indicates that even\nthis early, a more reliable waterway was contemplated.\n1821 The Potomac Company was not, however, a great success.\nAs early as 1812 and 1816 attempts to charter a canal com-\npany were \"fended off\" by the Potomac Company. (Sanderlin:\nA Study of the History of the Potomac River Valley\n1950,\np. 53) \"More than $500,000 was expended on this project;\n109\n319-731 0-68-8\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 4)\nyet the removal of obstructions to navigation was never\nsuccessfully completed. It was found that the boating\nseason was limited to periods of high water which did\nnot much exceed 2 months a year. The shippers complained\nthat boats waiting for the river to rise were often delayed\nso that cargoes were not delivered on the date promised.\nFrequently, the boat and cargo were seriously damaged in\nthe perilous passage down the river\nIn 1821, a joint\ncommittee appointed by the Maryland and Virginia Legislatures\nto examine the affairs of the Potomac Company recommended\nthat its charter be revoked.\" (\"Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,\nMaryland\", p. 5)\nThis committee report grew out of the Virginia Board of\nPublic Works which was created in 1816 and was concerned\nwith inland communication. It decided that actually, the\nPotomac Company had failed to fulfill its charter \"to pro-\nvide navigation for boats carrying 50 barrels of flour in\nthe driest seasons\" (Sanderlin, p. 54).\nThus in 1820 the Board sponsored two surveys of the valley,\nand in 1822 the report of the engineers recommended aban-\ndonment of the Potomac Company, and the building of a com-\nplete canal system.\n1823 In response to this report, the Virginia assembly incor-\nporated a Potomac Canal Company, but was not immediately\njoined by others interested in the project. In December,\nPresident James Monroe advised Congress to provide $30,000\nfor a complete survey and estimate of the cost. The fol-\nlowing year estimate was received, but considered too high.\nSince the Erie Canal, which had been started by New York\nand Pennsylvania in 1817 with the identical aim of opening\nup interior trade, was a known success, two engineers ex-\n1827 experienced in that work were engaged and in 1827 their re-\nport indicated that a canal from Washington to Cumberland,\nMaryland, could be constructed for about $4,500,000. En-\ncouraged by this, subscription was begun in October, and\n1828 in June of the following year the new Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal Company was organized. On May 16, 1825, \"at a general\nmeeting of the stockholders of the Potomac Company, duly\nheld at Semmes' Tavern, in Georgetown the former canal\ncompany had agreed to a Deed of Surrender giving the new\nCanal Company its former charter rights along the valley.\n(\"Mr. Semmes, tavern keeper,\" is mentioned in Mrs. Thornton's\ndiary for Saturday, February 15, 1800 (CHS V. 10, p. 107).)\nThe first president of the new company was Representative\nCharles F. Mercer. On July 4th (a day auspicious for such\nacts) construction was actually begun with the first spade-\nful turned by President John Quincy Adams, at Little Falls.\n110\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 5)\nIronically, on that same day, July 4th, 1828, the Baltimore\nand Ohio Railroad was begun, which was to run parallel\nwith the Canal, and ultimately contribute to its failure.\n1829 In order to meet the labor shortage that developed in the\nfollowing year, many laborers were imported from England\nas indentured workers, and during that first year of work,\nthe total force reached over 3100 men. The first annual\nreport of the President and Directors of the company was\nprinted that year, and optimism was high. Land for the canal\nwhich was to run through Georgetown was acquired in 1829\nand 1830. A deed dated December 5, 1829 (D.C. Recorder of\nDeeds, Liber WB 33, folio 13) states that Tench Ringgold,\nMarshall of the District of Columbia was to convey to the\nChesapeake & Ohio Canal \"property of Margaret Anderson\"\npart of which is now lot 851: \"as much of this land as is\nneeded to grantee for purposes of making a canal.\"\n1830 By November of 1830, the first section of the canal was\ncompleted, and ran from Little Falls, above Georgetown,\n1831 to Seneca, Maryland. The following year the section from\nLittle Falls to Rock Creek, (i.e., through Georgetown) was\ncompleted. Richard Jackson, in his Chronicles of Georgetown\n(1878) records a mishap that occurred at this time: \"During\nthe excavation of the canal through the town on the\nsection between Market [33rd] and Frederick [34th] streets\na sand blast was fired by a contractor, when large rocks\nwere hurled through the air. One rock struck the dormer\nwindow in the house of Doctor Charles A. Beatty, on Water\n[K] Street, and smashed it to pieces; another rock, weighing\none thousand and forty-five pounds struck a horse producing\ninstant death. The indignation was so great against the\ncontractor that he fled the town.\" (p. 42).\nThe first map of this Georgetown section of the canal is\nthe one published in 1830, before the Canal was actually\ncomplete, by William Bussard. This is part of the currently\nrestored section of the canal.\nProgress of the work on the canal in this Georgetown section\nis significant to note. In the Report of Col. John J. Abert\nand Col. James Kearney, of the United States Topographical\nEngineers, upon an Examination of the Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal from Washington City to the \"Point of Rocks\" (Wash-\nington, Gales and Seaton, 1831) the work then accomplished\nis described. Water had not yet been let into this section\nof the canal, but the canal itself was virtually complete.\nBridges were still being build. They examined the basin\nwhere Rock Creek enters the Potomac, and where a moll and\ntide lock were constructed. Lock No. 1 was a stone lock\n\"faced with the Aquia Creek freestone, and has the appearance\nof a good piece of masonry\" (p. 7). It measured 100 feet\n111\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 6)\nlong, 15 feet wide, with a lift of 8 feet, which was the\nstandard for the canal. The pool following Lock No. 1,\nmeasuring 100 by 40 feet, was \"inclosed by a stone wall,\ngenerally well constructed, but at places there appears\nto have been too many small stones admitted.\" (p. 7)\nThe following Lock No. 2 was a little different. \"Its sides\nare secured by dry stone walls. There is a drain from the\nstreets of the town into this pool.\" (p. 7) Messrs. Abert\nand Kearney felt that the drain should have gone along side\nthe pool and discharged into the basin, and not directly\ninto the canal pool. This may be the same orifice photographed,\nnorth side, near the 29th Street Bridge. At the pool above\nLock No. 3, they observed that its sides were \"protected\nby a wall of dry masonry. There are stone steps on each side\nof these pools, conducting to the bottom\n(p.\n7)\nThese steps are no longer to be found. \"The whole of the\ncanal, which passes through the town, is to be revetted\nby a stone wall, the greater part of which is already built,\nand is a specimen of good work.\" (p. 8)\nStone bridges arched the canal where it cut across a street.\nThese were complete at Green Street (29th), at Washington\nStreet (30th), at Jefferson Street, and at Congress Street\n(31st) which last bridge had a 40' span. \"All these bridges\nare very neat and substantial structures, faced with the\nfreestone of Aquia Creek, well laid, with hammered faces.\"\n(p.8) All these bridges were replaced by iron ones in 1866-\n1867.\nOne does remain, however, the High Street (Wisconsin Avenue)\nBridge. \"The span of this is to be 54 feet. The abutments\nare partly completed, and the centering for the arch is\nerected, and as much of the work as is done, isocertainly\nof a very substantial character.\" (p. 8)\n1833 Despite these optimistic reports by its fifth year the\nCompany was in financial difficulties: 62 miles of the canal\nhad been completed, up to Harpers Ferry but the company\nwas almost out of money. \"There followed a long 17-year\nperiod of severe financial struggle before the canal finally\nreached Cumberland. The State of Maryland repeatedly\nresponded to the company's plea for aid, and, by 1839, had\ninvested more than $6,000,000 in the project.\" (Chesapeake\nand Ohio, Maryland\", p. 7) Delay was also caused by a\ncontroversy with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad about the\nright of way between Point of Rocks and Harpers Ferry.\nWork, however, proceeded steadily. The Aqueduct Bridge,\ncrossing the Potomac and ultimately linking the Alexandria\nCanal with the Chesapeake and Ohio in Georgetown was finally\nbegun; it too was to be one of the engineering feats of the\ntime.\n112\nCHESAPEAKE E OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 7)\n1835 In the Seventh Annual Report of the Company, a note of\ngreat optimism was struck. \"Our success so far has forever\nput to flight the evil forbodings and doubts of sceptics\nwho boldly pronounced the enterprise to be impracticable\nand visionary; and we have the consolation of knowing that\nthere are no difficulties in advance so appalling as those\nwe have triumphantly passed.\" (p. 5)\n1836 The company as well as local Georgetown businessmen were\nwell aware of the added advantage that the canal brought\nin the form of water-power. The canal, over 35 feet above\nthe level of the Potomac at Lock No. 4, could provide a\nnew source of power for milling, and thus could even further\npromote business in Georgetown. In 1829 Virginia had passed\nan act to emend the original act incorporating the Chesa-\npeake and Ohio Canal: \"The said President and Directors,\nacting in behalf of said company\nmay sell, let, or other-\nwise dispose of, any surplus water in any part of said\ncanal, or of any feeder or reservoir thereof\nif they\nshall be of opinion that no injury will result therefrom\nto the navigation of the canal.\" (House Doc. 143, P. 2)\nThis amendment had to be agreed to by Congress, and Mary-\nland. On 13 January 1836 a petition by a long list of\ndistinguished merchants of Georgetown was submitted to\nCongress, who had not yet agreed to the change. Among the\nsigners were the following: A. Reintzell, M. Adler, Francis\nDodge Jr., John Marbury, Francis Dodge (Sr.), W. C. Corcoran,\nand Thomas Corcoran. This source of new power was to be\na great stimulus.\n1837 By 1837, the canal was completed 107 miles above Georgetown;\n1839 by 1839, to within 50 miles of Cumberland, Maryland.\nWilliam Elliot, in his guide to Washington of 1837, tells\nus that \"the embankments are acquiring, by time, greater\nsolidity, and the president [of the Canal Company] thinks\nthey warrent the belief, that no further interruptions will\ntake place, in consequence of breaches in the banks. The\ninner slope of the tow-path has been covered with broken\nstone to a considerable extent, and it is proposed to con-\ntinue this mode throughout the entire route. The dredging\nmachine in Georgetown basin, has had great effect removing\nthe deposits of sand and gravel.\" (p. 278) Contributing\nto the expense, he notes that the Board of Directors of the\ncanal company \"complain of the heavy damages they have been\nobliged to pay for land, through which the canal was located.\"\n(p. 279)\n1850 The last stretch of the canal to Cumberland, was not opened\nuntil October 10th, 1850. Here the canal stopped. The\ncost of the difficult enterprise had been far more than\nexpected. In Randoph Keim's guidebook to Washington in 1880,\n113\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 8)\nhe asserts that it was completed \"at a cost of $13,000,000\nof which Maryland subscribed $5,000,000 [sic], the United\nStates $1,000,000, Washington, $1,000,000, and Georgetown,\nAlexandria, and Virginia, each $250,000.\" (p. 214) The\nenumerated constructions are also impressive: \"The exe-\ncution of the enterprise was a work of great difficulty.\nThere are 75 locks of 100 feet in length, 15 feet in width,\nand averaging 8 ft. lift; 11 aqueducts [sic!] crossing\nthe Monocacy river, consisting of seven arches of 54 ft.\nspan; also 190 culverts of various dimensions, some suf-\nficiently spacious to admit of the passage of wagons.\nThe canal is fed by... [7] dams across the Potomac, varying\nfrom 500 to 800 ft. in length, and from 4 to 20 ft. elevation\nThe tunnel through the \"Pawpaw Ridge\" is 3,118 ft. in length\nand 24 ft. in diameter.\" (p. 214)\nThe Chief engineers for this undertaking were Charles B.\nFisk, who had also assisted Major William Turnbull, builder\nof the Aqueduct Bridge at Georgetown, with the Georgetown\nabutment design, and Benjamin Wright.\nEven going no farther than Cumberland, trade grew, and large\n1871 quantities of coal in particular came down in canal boats.\nIn 1871 \"the peak year, about 850,000 tons were carried\non the Chesapeake and Ohio. In some years of this period\nthe canal company made a considerable operating profit,\nwhich was quickly applied to the payment of back interest\non its tremendous debt More than 500 boats were in\noperation.\" (\"Chesapeake & Ohio, Maryland,\" p. 7)\n1876 It was during these prosperous years, from about 1850 to\n1889, that one of the most ingenious of the canal construc-\ntions was completed. This was the \"Outlet Incline\", a device\nrather like a dry dock on wheels, that received laden canal\nboats on a wooden trough, let out the water, and then eased\nthe trough (and boat) down the bank, a 40 foot drop, at a\n30° slope into the Potomac. The machine, largest of its\nkind in the world, was completed on July 10, 1876, with\nWilliam R. Hutton as engineer. Situated one mile above\nGeorgetown, it served until 1889 when a disastrous flood\ndestroyed it, as well as much of the canal wall which\nseparated the Potomac from the canal channel. Like the\nAqueduct Bridge, which had been completed in 1843, it received\nmuch attention in publications throughout the United States\nand abroad.\n1889 Due to a decline in cargo caused by the competition of the\nBaltimore and Ohio Railroad, increased road coverage, and\nthe opening and development of other eastern ports, the\nCanal, especially after the flood of 1889, began its decline.\nConstant repairs necessitated by the canal dike being washed\n114\nCHESAPEAKE E OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 9)\nout and other expenses of upkeep were increasingly dif-\n1924 ficult to meet, and when a flood in 1924 again devastated\nthe canal, it ceased operation for good. Its fate for many\nyears was in doubt until October 1938, when the Department\nof the Interior bought the 184.5 mile length, from George-\ntown to Cumberland for $2,000,000. A press release of\n1938 August 12, 1938 announced this intention and added: \"With\nthe canal company property come all the records still existing\nof the original Patowmack Co Many of the records are\nin Washington's handwriting and bear his signature.\" From\nthe beginning preservation of the canal was clear: \"the\n22 miles between Georgetown and Seneca are to be restored\nby the National Park Service to its former physical\nstate as a historic site.\" Some of the responsibilities\nof the old canal remained however: water had to be maintained\nin the Georgetown section because of the mills there with\nleases from the Canal Company. Extensive restoration work\non this lower section was done in 1938 and 1939, with barge\ntrips beginning in 1938 on the new scenic and recreational\ncanal.\nAbove Georgetown, some work in repairing flood damage,\nrestoring the tow path and embankments, and even reconstruc-\ntion work on Lock #15 was done by the Civilian Conservation\nCorps in 1940. Since then it has been maintained and restored\nby the National Parks Service, and is increasingly enjoyed\nas a recreational and scenic asset.\nDate of Erection: Georgetown section, 1831.\nArchitects: Charles B. Fisk and Benjamin Wright (entire canal).\nOriginal plans, construction, etc: None known, but the original\npapers of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Co., now in the National\nArchives, may have some.\nImportant old views: A large number of early prints and photographs\nare to be found at the National Park Service (both Hains Point\nand Rosslyn); Fine Arts Commission, Washington; Great Falls\nMuseum; Georgetown Public Library; D.C. Public Library; Library\nof Congress; and in private collections.\nC. Sources of Information:\n\" = publications referred to in text.\n1. Primary and unpublished sources:\n* Acts of the States of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, and of\nthe Congress of the United States in Relation to the Chesa-\npeake & Ohio Canal Co., with Proceedings of the convention,\nwhich led to the formation of said Company. Also, the Acts\n115\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 10)\nand Resolutions of the States of Virginia and Maryland con-\ncerning the Potomac Company\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal\nCommission. Washington: Gales E Seaton, 1828.\nFirst Annual Report of the President and Directors of the Chesa-\npeake and Ohio Canal Company, Together with the Proceedings\nof the Stockholders\nWashington: Gales E Seaton, 1829.\nSecond Annual Report\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1830.\nReport from the President of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal\nCompany, to the Legislature of Maryland. Annapolis: Jonas\nGreen, 1831.\nThird Annual Report\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1831.\nReport of the General Committee of the Stockholders of the\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal Company\nWashington: Gales &\nSeaton, 1831.\n* Report from Col. John J. Abert and Col. James Kearney of the United\nStates Topographical Engineers, upon an Examination of\nThe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from Washington City to the\n\"Point of Rocks\"\nWashington: Gales E Seaton, 1831.\nFourth Annual Report of the President and Directors to the\nStockholders of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1832.\nThe Memorial of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, to the\nGeneral Assembly of Maryland, December 31, 1832. Washington:\nGales E Seaton, 1832.\nFifth Annual Report\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1833.\n\"Report of Captain William G. McNeill on the Condition of\nthe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, 1 December 1833.\" 23 cong.,\n1st sess., House doc. 38, 14 Jan. 1834.\nSixth Annual Report\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1834.\nJournal of the Internal Improvement Convention which assembled\nCity of Baltimore, on the 8th Day of December, 1934.\nBaltimore: Sands and Neilson, 1835.\nReport of the President and Directors of the Chesapeake and\nOhio Canal Company to the Stockholders, Specially Con-\nvened in General Meeting, April 22, 1835. Washington:\nGales E Seaton, 1935.\n* Seventh Annual Report Washington: Gales E Seaton, 1835.\nEighth Annual Report\nWashington: Gales & Seaton, 1836.\nReport of the General Committee of the Stockholders of the\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, presented July 18, 1836.\nWashington: Gales E Seaton, 1836.\n\"Act to Amend the Act incorporating the Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal Co. passed 27 Feb. 1829.\" 24th Congress, 1st sess,\nHouse doc. 143, 3 March 1836.\nAmerican Society of Civil Engineers. \"Outlet Incline.\" American\nSociety of Civil Engineers, New York City: Transactions\nvol. 7, 1878.\n2. Secondary and published sources:\n*\n\"Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Maryland,\" National Park Service,\nU.S. Government Printing Office, 1956.\n* Keim, DeB. Randolph. Keim's Illustrated Hand-Book [of] Washington\n116\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 11)\nand its Environs\nWashington City: For the Compiler,\n1880.\nYoung, Rogers W. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the\nAntebellum Commerce of Old Georgetown. (typescript) National\nPark Service, January, 1940.\n\"Captain Turnbull's Report On the Survey of Construction of the\nPotomac Aqueduct, by order of the House of Representatives,\nJan. 1, 1836.\" The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal,\nVol. I, No. 1, pp. 147-150, Oct. 1836.\n* Elliot, William. The Washington Guide. Washington City: Franck\nTaylor and J. Crissy, 1837.\n* Sanderlin, Walter S. A Study of the History of the Potomac\nRiver Valley: Prepared in connection with a report to Congress\non the Proposed Parkway along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal\nBetween Great Falls and Cumberland, Maryland. (photocopy\ntypescript) 1950.\n\"Reconnaissance Survey Report on the Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal.\" 81st Congress, 2nd Session, House document No. 687,\nAugust 16, 1950.\n\"Early Chapters in the Development of the Potomac Route to the\nWest.\" by Mrs. Corra Bacon-Foster. Records of the Columbia\nHistorical Society, vol. 15, 1912, pp. 96-322.\nWard, George Washington. The Early Development of the Chesapeake\nand Ohio Canal Project. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1899.\nSanderlin, Walter S. The Great National Project. Baltimore:\nJohns Hopkins Press, 1946.\nAnon. \"Life on the C. E. O. Canal: 1859.' Edited by Ella E.\nClark. Maryland Historical Magazine, V. 55, No. 2, June\n1960, pp. 82-122.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nAugust, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\nAs a great 19th century engineering feat, with historical sig-\nnificance and scenic qualities, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is\none of the most important structures on the Georgetown water-\nfront. As stated in a report of 1831, \"the whole canal, which\npasses through the town, revetted by a stone wall is a specimen\nof good work.\"\nThe 8/10 mile stretch of canal from the Potomac River to the Aque-\nduct Bridge was a center of trade and commercial activity which\ncontributed greatly to Georgetown's becoming an active commercial\ncenter in the District of Columbia in the 19th century. This\n117\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 12)\ncontribution was not limited to transportation; the canal also\nfurnished water power for various industries along its path,\nenabling the area to grow. Structures of the past century line\nthe embankments. Usually functional in design, these commercial\nand residential buildings are good examples of early waterfront\nconstruction.\nToday the canal has again found a new way to contribute, through\nrecreation. The National Park Service purchased the canal in\n1938, and since then it has been maintained and restored, to\nbe used for bicycling, walking, and boating. The satisfying\nevidences of good workmanship are apparent everywhere: in the\nbatter (sloping) walls, the lock gates, the hardware, the re-\nmaining stone bridge, and the Aqueduct. From this purely com-\nmercial venture, there remains a \"good piece\" of structural\nwork, a fine environmental relationship, and an evocation of\nlife of a past era.\nB. and C. Description:\nThe canal is built of stone hewn from local quarries, mainly\nbrown and gray sandstone and limestone, set with hydraulic mortar,\nor in dry walls. Coursed range, rough rubble, and coursed rubble,\nbattered (sloping) masonry is used in connection with dry walls.\nThe dry walls, mainly lining the canal walls, are to prevent\nwashing of the side berms, the earth embankments which contain\nthe water trough. Though much reinforcement and replacement has\noccured, the canal remains structurally sound.\nAt the mouth of Rock Creek are located the tidewater lock (A) and\nthe Potomac weir (B). The lock has fallen into disrepair with\ncrumbling walls and missing gates. The walls are coursed range\nashlar masonry. The movable gates have been replaced by three\nopen fixed gates of 12\" X 12\" wooden members. This closed off\nthe Potomac, as did the weir (B) across the mouth of Rock Creek.\nEvidence of the substantial construction of this weir is still\nto be seen in remnants on the west side; in the creek, however,\nonly rotting posts and planks are evident. Coursed ashlar bulk-\nheads flank the creek and are in good condition.\nContinuing up Rock Creek it is apparent that fill has been added\non both sides (C). Twentieth century bridges occur from the\nmouth northward to lock #1 (G): a concrete bridge (D) passes\nover above the tidewater basin, and the concrete and steel bridges\nof K Street and the Whitehurst Freeway pass over the creek above\nthis at E.\nAt the entrance to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal channel (F),\nfill has narrowed the basin which was originally there. On the\nnorthern side of the mouth a heavy post and plank revetment pro-\ntrudes partially into the basin mouth. Also on the northern\n118\nCHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 13)\nside the towpath begins, and continues on that side to the 34th\nStreet footbridge.\nAfter the entrance basin the canal begins its 35 foot climb in\nGeorgetown with Lock #1 (G). Like all the following Georgetown\nlocks, the battered walls are of coursed range ashlar, grouted\nwith hydraulic cement. Though structurally stable, concrete\nand brick infilling has been added. Originally all locks were\nuniformly designed to be 100 feet long, 15 feet deep and 14' -\n8\" wide with rounded wing walls.\nThe lock gates are of heavy timber. A typical gate is 8 feet\nhigh by 9 1/2 feet wide, made of a heavy wooden frame which turns\non a pivot post about one foot square. The gate is pivoted by\na 23 foot long lever beam in a horizontal arc. The pivot posts,\nresting in rounded stone openings, are secured by three inch\nwide metal straps let into the stone copings and fastened with\nsquare bolts. The gates are frames of 12\" x 12\" heavy timber\nwith thick diagonal sheathing on the up stream side. Two butterfly\nsluice valves occupy two of the three bottom bays. These are\noperated by metal rods which extend vertically to the top and\nare there squared. Operation of these was by spanners (long\nhandled wrench-like devices.)\nFollowing Lock #1 is a typical pool with dry wall revetments,\nH. Here barges could wait to enter the locks, or let others\npass. Next the reinforced concrete 29th Street bridge (with\nsteel railings) crosses Lock #2 (I). On the northern wall\nof the 147' x 48' pool (J) which follows is a unique culvert\n(probably the one protested in 1831) formed by carved semi-cir-\ncular stone pieces held together by the compression of the stone\nrevetment above. Unfortunately, it has been filled with concrete.\nThe asphalted towpath is nine feet wide here. It varies in\nwidth and covering throughout; though usually unpaved, asphalt,\ncobblestone, concrete, gravel, and brick appear. The width of\nthe towpath varies from six to twelve feet.\nThe 30th Street bridge, similar to that at 29th Street, traverses\nLock #3 (K), with the National Park Service barge embankment park\nto the northwest creating a pleasant expanse. The dry walled\npool (M) is also lined by the shaded brick paved park.\nThe Thomas Jefferson Street Bridge, similar to the ones at 29th\nand 30th Streets crosses Lock #4 (0), which is followed by a\npool (P). The atmosphere of the past is recreated by the cobble-\nstone towpath with its abutting residences on the north side.\nThe brick residences (Towpath Row) with flat and segmental brick\narches are usually crowned with corbeled brick courses and metal\ngutters. One of the larger ground floor windows of the Row supposedly\nwas once used to serve meals through to the canal workers. A\nprojecting second floor of the Towpath Apartments overhangs the\n119\nCHESAPEAKE E OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 14)\ntowpath near 31st Street.\nThe canal travels under the steel 31st Street Bridge. A picturesque\nwalk extends from here westward with a ten foot graveled towpath\narched by a row of trees. To the north, projecting planks at\nabout 14 feet extend from a building crowning the northern towpath\nrevetment. The door, just above, was probably for loading\nmerchandise on and off the barges. (Q)\nThe Wisconsin Avenue stone segmental arched bridge (R) with a\nspan of over 50 feet, covers the path and canal under a stone\nintrados with rusticated voussiors and keystones. The ringstones\nand copings reflect the fine workmanship of past days, as do\nthe spandrels of coursed range. Jutting slightly from the revet-\nments on either sides of the canal are stone ashlar buttresses.\nThe canal berms are retained here by rubble dry walls.\nAn eight foot towpath continues on the north side (S) beside a\nsloping dry wall adjoining the buttress; now it is a dry wall,\nthough it probably had hydraulic cement which was too thick and\ntherefore deteriorated. Across the canal the dry walls have\nsteel rod reinforcement. Here also natural rock outcroppings\nhave been incorporated into the wall above which a tree protrudes\nadding extra stress to the revetment. Two warehouses built close\nto the canal on either side enclose this area. Two metal connec-\nting bridges between them span the canal. Though poorly maintained.\nboth buildings exhibit interesting fenestrations. The northern\nrevetment (see HABS DC-144) is skintled (various irregular pro-\ntruding scabble faced stones) with bluish-grey stone in random\ncourses. About 3/5 the way up the wall is a projecting stone\ncourse above which is a row of broken off planks near the top.\nThis is probably the remains of large loading platform.\nAt Potomac Street (T), a steel trussed foot bridge with wooden\nplank flooring spans the canal. Three culverts open to the south,\nat least one of which feeds the millrace to Bomford Mill (now, at U\nWilkins-Rogers Milling Co., see HABS DC-143). At 33rd (V)\nand 34th (W) Streets, steel trussed bridges with concrete and\nwooden flooring cross the canal. The towpath revetment from\nPotomac Street westward remains dry wall rubble except a new strip\nof small wet wall squared stone masonry finished in August 1967\non the east side of the north end of the 34th Street footbridge.\nThe canal retaining wall is of two types: old dry walls and new\nsmall stone wet walls (which are steeply battered). In this\narea on the south side was the turning basin which has since\nbeen filled. After crossing over the 34th Street footbridge to\nthe south side the towpath continues westward passing under two\nmodern concrete bridges: the Key Bridge and the Whitehurst Freeway\nBridge (X). After reaching the Potomac Aqueduct Bridge (Y),\nthe canal maintains its course westward.\n120\nCHESAPEAKE E OHIO CANAL\nHABS No. DC-147 (Page 15)\nD. Site:\nRetaining walls and buildings flank the canal most of this distance.\nThe various types of walks, walls, and vegetation which border the\ncanal are numerous; there is, however, a uniformity to the whole\narea. At the western end, the lush foliage of the Maryland country-\nside begins as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal moves toward Cum-\nberland.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n121\nno\n122\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal, Georgetown\nLock No. 3\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\nLOCK #2.\n#3.\n&\n10'-0\"\n23'-3\"\n12\"x12\" (Z\" X\nnational the term posts the\nstone has been curved to make\n123\na better fit.\n14'-6\"\n(at lower turn\n8'-0\"\npoet 14'-3\")\n9'-6\"\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal, Georgetown\nSketch and Measurements of gate, Lock #2\nCANAL\n1445,\nROAD\nM\nSTREET\nSTREET\n0\nUI\n0\nAVENUE\n22\n6\nППШ\n4\nрч\nPENNSYLVA\n1\n0\nSTREET\nn\nHO\nY\nAQUEDUCT\n(WHITEHURST\nke\n13\n20\n9\n23\nBRIDGE\n\"\nSCOTT\nW\nBetenet\nSTREET\nAVENUE\n21\n24\n26\nCHESAPEAKE\nAND\nOHIO\nSTREET\nCHECK\nFREEWAY)\nCANAL\n7\nK\nSTREET\n0\nFRANCIS\nGRACE\nSTREET\nROCK\n1818\na\nWATER\n27\nPOTOMAC\nWISCONSIN\n17\nTHOMAS JEFFERSON\nhelp\n0\nSTAEET\nSOUTH\nRTSSET\nI\nFRANCIS SCOTT KEY HOUSE\n28\nWIST ALLET\n2\nWASHINGTON CANOE CLUB\nx\n3\nAQUEDUCT BRIDGE ABUTMENT\nM\n4\nJOSEPH CARLTON HOUSE 1052-54 POTOMAC ST\n10\n5\nVICTORIAN HOUSE, 1050 POTOMAC ST\nDD\nDo\n6\nGEORGETOWN MARKET, 3276 M ST.\nю\na\n14\nV\n7\nFISH MARKET\n¥\n124\n8\nBOMFORD MILL, 3261 K ST\n9\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE, 3260-62 K ST\n10\nWARCHOUSE, 3256 K ST\nSTREET\nE\n11 WAREHOUSE, on C&O CANAL\nD°\n12 CHERRY HILL ROW HOUSES, 1033 43 CECIL PLACE\n13\nVIGILANT FIREHOUSE, 1066 WISCONSIN AVE\n15\n0\n14 DODGE WAREHOUSE, 1000 06 WISCONSIN AVE\n0\n0\n-\n15\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO POWERHOUSE 3142 K ST\n-\n16\nBRICKYARD HILL HOUSE, 3134-36 SOUTH ST\n17\nGRACE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH\n17\n0\n18 DOUBLE HOUSE, 1066-68 31st ST\n19 cao CANAL co HOUSE. 1061 31 st ST\n20 ADAMS MASON HOUSE, 1072 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST\n21 MASONIC LODGE, 1058 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST\nRIVER\no\n0\na\n22 BIRCH STABLE, 1081 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST\nN\n23 NICHOLAS MEDGES HOUSE. 1069 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST\no\n24 FEDERAL HOUSE, 1063 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST\n25 McCLEERY HOUSE, 1068 1/2 30th ST\n26 McGOWAN & SHINN ROW HOUSES. 1058- 66 30th ST\n27 OUVALL FOUNDRY, 1050 30th ST\n28 LIBBY ROW HOUSES. 1021 37 30th ST\n29 WHEATLEY ROW HOUSES. 1018-1032 29th ST\nGEORGETOWN WATERFRONT\na\nWHITEHURST FREEWAY (ELEVATED)\nD\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal\nC\nkeyed map\nA\nB\nTOWPATH APARTMENTS\n1061 31st Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n319-731 0-68-9\n1. STATE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\n2. NAME\nSTREET NO.\nTowpath Apartments\n1061 31st Street, N.W.\nDATE OR PERIOD early 19th century\nORIGINAL OWNER C. & 0. Canal\nSTYLE\nutilitarian\nORIGINAL USE\nStorage House\nARCHITECT\nunknown\nPRESENT OWNER\nMr. Joseph Smith, Jr.\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nunknown\nApartment House\nWALL CONSTRUCTION Brick-Flemish & Common\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES 2 in front, 3 in rear\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC No\nThis is apparently an early commercial building which has been transformed\ninto a triple dwelling unit. The walls are load bearing brick in Flemish\nand common bond, poorly pointed, and painted light gray with army green\ntrim. The fenestration is formed by flat brick arches and wooden and steel\nlintels. It has nine over six double hung wooden windows and some army\ngreen shutters which are double panel with fixed louvers and ornamental\nmetal catches. The wooden lintels over the six panel wooden doors on the\nwest have raised square end blocks containing incised concentric circles.\nThe west cornice is of three corbeled brick courses supporting a pro-\ntruding rounded metal gutter. On the south a variety of clapboarded and\nbalustraded rooms and porches overlook the cobblestone towpath and the\nC. & O. Canal. The six paneled wooden door at the south with twin bubble-\nglass lights has side panels of four lights over one panel. A steel fire\nescape is attached to the east wall.\nThe interior has many original pieces in good condition: doors, strap\nhinges, moldings, and fireplaces. In the basement the rubble foundation\nand wooden joists are evident.\nFor historical information, see page 2.\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No\nInterior Good\nExterior Good\n1061\n31st Street\nTowpath\nC&O Canal\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD September, 1967\n127\n1061 31st Street N. W. Washington\nHABSI\npage 2\nPresent occupants: rear apt.\n: Elwood Smith\nstreet level\n: Mr. and Mrs. Donald Green\nsecond floor apt. Mr. and Mrs. Archie Smith\nThe following information was provided by Mr. Joseph Smith jr. of Smith\nDevelopment Corporation (3711 McComb Street), which manages the apart-\nments for Mrs. Eva W. Bolton, the owner. Mr. Harry Boss, a former owner,\nis the ultimate source of the information.\nIt is said that the building was begun by the c and O Canal\nCompany when it was constructing the canal through George-\ntown (i.e. 1831) for use as a store-room for equipment and\nmachinery. As the canal progressed, it was turned into a\ntavern, and later into stables. In 1941 when the structure\nwas bought from Harry Boss by Mrs. Eva W. Bolton and Mrs.\nMaynard Barnes, it was used as a stable and \"nonconforming\nresidence\" (Mr. Smith). It was then gutted, with the fire-\nplaces, moldings and floor boards saved, and completely\nredone, with much new mill-work replacing that which was\nlost. The lower apartment, off the towpath had been the\nstable, and the living quarters above. It has thus a unique\nsplit level floor plan.\nIn 1963 the interior was repaired somewhat, and redecorated,\nand the exterior south wall was completely repointed to stop\nwater entering.\n(Interview, September 1st, 1967.)\nPhotographs of 1938 show that the wooden additions on the south side to\nthe rear, above the lowest apartment, were in place at that time.\nPrepared by: Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n128\nTowpath Apartments\n1061 31st Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n129\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nEntrance, 3222 M Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-144\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nLocation:\nNorth side of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, between\nWarehouse Alley and Wisconsin Avenue (32nd St.)\nThe entrance is at 3222 M Street N.W. (Georgetown)\nWashington, D.C.\nPresent Owner:\nD.C. Transit System, Inc.\nPresent Occupant: U.S. Government Defense Communications Agency, annex E.\nPresent Use:\nCommunications center.\nStatement of\nA remnant of a Georgetown tobacco warehouse, once a\nSignificance:\nflourishing trade. The retaining wall on the south\nside is of unique appearance, with rustic stonework.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners:\na. The rear portion on the canal seems originally to have\nbeen a tobacco warehouse which unloaded directly into\ncanal boats. Subsequently, other owners put it to\nvarious uses. The following information is supplied\nby the Commission of Fine Arts from the records of the\nFiremen's Insurance Co. of Washington and Georgetown\n(303 7th Street N.W.): Date of Policy: December 31,\n1839, Reference Number 817, page 203. \"$4,000 on the\n2 story brick building commonly known as 'the small\nTobacco Warehouse' covered with slate now occupied by\nRichard B. Mason and others for the manufacture and\nstorage of corn brooms, and the storage of the materials\nof which they are made, situated on the north side\nof the Canal between High [Wisconsin Ave.] and Market\n[Potomac] Streets in George Town, not adjoined by any\nother buildings.\"\nb. In the early 1850's it was used as stables for horse-\ndrawn omnibuses, and continued in use as a storage\nwarehouse and repair shop for public transportation\nvehicles until about 1963.\n2. Date of erection: Prior to 1838, the date of the Firemen's\nInsurance Co. of Washington and Georgetown policy to Richard\nMason, ref. no. 444, p. 99. (Essentially the same text as\n133\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-144 (Page 2)\nthe policy quoted above.) The building in its present\nshape is clearly represented on the Albert Boschke map of\nthe area, published in 1861 but drawn in 1857. (See also\nRecords of the Columbia Historical Society, v. 27, P. 283\nfor information on Mr. Boschke and his map). This map\nwas of great accuracy, with buildings drawn from actual\nfield measurements.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: The interior of the building\nhas been completely transformed. Before being remodeled\nby the U. S. Government it had a modern poured concrete\nfloor with mechanics' pits; these were all filled in and\nrecovered in the remodeling. The 1903 Sanborn Insurance\nAtlas indicates: \"Cement floor, iron roof truss.\" The\ncanal facade shows numerous windows that were blocked up\nat some time.\n6. Important old views: The warehouse is shown in the litho-\ngraph by A. Sachse & Co. of about 1883, entitled \"The\nNational Capital Washington, D.C.\" (Library of Congress).\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. \"By 1854 the two largest [horse drawn omnibus] lines were\nthe Citizens Line and the Union Line.... The Union Line\nwas operated by John E. Reeside and Gilbert VanDerwerken.\nThey had their stables in an old tobacco warehouse on M\nStreet west of Wisconsin Avenue where the present M Street\nshops of the Capital Transit Company are located. The rear\nportion of the present building is said to be identical with\na portion of this old warehouse.\" E.D. Merril, president\nof the Capital Transit Company, in \"Changing Fashions in\nTransportation,\" (CHS V. 48-49, (1949) P. 161.) Mr. VanDer-\nwerken came to Washington about 1850 from New Jersey, where\nhe had owned a factory that made stage coaches, railroad\ncars, and omnibuses.\n2. Washington directories provide the following information\nabout the building:\n1915-33 Capital Traction Co. repair shop\n1935-62 D. C. Transit System Inc. repair shop\n1965\nvacant\n1967\nU. S. Government Defense Communications Annex E.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n134\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-144 (Page 3)\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION:\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The warehouse, which seems to\nbe composed of three sections added at different times,\nhas interesting fenestration on the south side. The struc-\nture has a unique rustic stonework retaining wall on the\ncanal side.\n2. Condition of fabric: The interior has been gutted and\nremodeled. The openings on the canal side have been mostly\nfilled. The roof has a recent shingle covering; the brick\nwalls are in good condition on the exterior.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: The original building seems to have been\nonly the rectangular section parallel to the canal, measuring\nabout 338' X 75', clearly shown on the Boschke map of 1861.\nThe wing connecting this portion to M Street is 89' wide\nand extends about 175' north of the older section; it is\nshown on the Sachse 1883 lithograph. A third addition since\nthat date has filled in along Warehouse Alley to M Street.\nThe canal facade is not completely straight, but bends\nslightly south at the east end to follow the line of the\ncanal. The canal facade is in three sections, a central\ngabled bay, with a wing on either side. There are two\nstories above a high stone basement story without windows.\nThe heavy stone retaining wall extends an additional 30'\nwest (below Warehouse Alley) and 3' to the east.\n2. Foundations: Brick to grade. Along the canal is a heavy\nstone retaining wall.\n3. Wall construction: The south wall is of common bond red\nbrick with header rows usually at every eighth course and\nhas five pointed star shaped tie rod plates. The brick wall\nis built on top of a stone revetment aproximately 35' high.\n4. Framing: Load bearing walls.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: On the south side the\nwarehouse rests atop a revetment of dark gray and bluish-\ngray stones in random range; the rough hewn surfaces project\nfrom a few inches to a foot. About 3/5 the way up the\nwall is a row of projecting squared stones, above which\nis a row of broken off planks, near the top of the revetment.\nThese are probably the support brackets of a long loading\n135\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-144 (Page 4)\nplatform and the remains of its wooden roof. A smooth stone\ncoping crowns the revetment. Spanning the canal from the\ntop of the revetment are two metal bridges: one an open\ntruss and the other enclosed.\n6. Chimneys: A variety of metal vent towers, a red brick\nchimney, and a round metal stack project above the roof\nline.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: In the south elevation (eastern end),\nthere appear two large vertical rectangular openings\nfilled with cinder blocks. The center section contains\neight evenly spaced segmental arched openings which begin\nat the coping atop the revetment. These are also filled\nwith cinder blocks.\nb. Windows and shutters: No shutters. In the eastern\nsection of the south elevation, the first and second\nfloors have nine infilled segmental arch windows with\nstone sills. The infilling consists of concrete block\nand brick. The center section has three infilled seg-\nmental arched windows at the second floor level and a\nsmall louvered window under the apex. The western\nsection has, on the east end, two small rectangular\nopenings (now sealed up) at both the first and second\nfloor levels. The remainder of the fenestration in this\nsection is composed of five sets of two story recessed\nround arch openings with brick dados flanked by elongated\ntwo story segmental arch windows. All have cinder block\ninfilling.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The east and west sections have east-\nwest gable roofs. The center gable section has a north-\nsouth gable roof. All have shingle covering.\nb. Cornices, eaves: The eaves of the east and west sections\nhave squared sheet metal projecting gutters. The center\ngable section has metal flashing along the south edge.\nC. Description of Interior:\nThis interior has been gutted and remodeled several times and\nnothing of any of the original structure is visible inside.\n136\nCANAL WAREHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-144 (Page 5)\nD. Site: The \"tobacco warehouse\" is incorporated in the\nrambling structure of the old Capital Traction Warehouse and\nforms the southern facade overlooking the Canal and its towpath.\nAll parts but this southern side are surrounded by commercial\nactivities. Across the canal is another brick 19th century\nwarehouse thus giving this section of the canal an appearance\nvery much as it was a century ago.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nand\nDaniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nThe Commission of Fine Arts\nJuly, 1968\n137\nCanal Warehouse\nEntrance, 3222 M Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\n138\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nWest of Key Bridge\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-166\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nLocation:\nGeorgetown abutment: at waterfront, adjacent to ex-\ntension of 36th Street (west side). Adjacent,\nPotomac Boat Club, 3530 Water Street, N.W., Wash-\nington, D.C.\nPier No. 1 and South Abutment remnants: west of junc-\nture of Key Bridge and Virginia shore.\nPresent Owner:\nNational Park Service\nPresent Occupant: The Potomac Boat Club stores boats under the southern\narch of the Georgetown abutment.\nPresent Use:\nBoat storage (below), flower garden (in trough) of\nPotomac Boat Club.\nStatement of\nAn important and well preserved remnant of one of\nSignificance:\nAmerica's earliest engineering triumphs. Intimately\nconnected with the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, and the\ndevelopment of commercial Georgetown in the early\n19th century.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. and B. Physical History, and Historical Events:\nThe expected success of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,\nwhich would bring great amounts of inland produce to the\nport of Georgetown, spurred quick action across the Potomac,\nin Alexandria. As a rival port to Georgetown, merchants\nsoon conceived the idea of linking their city with the\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal by an extension of the canal,\nwhich would thus make Alexandria just as desirable a\nterminus for canal traffic as Georgetown. In 1830, Congress\ngranted a charter to the Alexandria Canal Company, and\nnegotiations were started for linking it with the Chesapeake\nand Ohio. The two would have to be joined, across the\nPotomac, by an aqueduct bridge which would allow the canal\nboats to cross the river without unloading their cargoes\ninto sailing ships, which would have made the extension\nof the shipments to Alexandria prohibitively expensive\nin comparison to Georgetown. This aqueduct was begun\nfrom the Virginia side of the Potomac in 1833, the same\nyear that the seven mile branch canal to Alexandria was\nbegun, and both were completed ten years later, in 1843.\nThe aqueduct bridge, \"a stupendous work,\" was considered\none of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the\n141\n319-731 O-68-10\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 2)\ntime: it was almost a quarter of a mile long, and its piers\nwere founded on solid rock, below 35 feet of water and mud\nat places. It was published and proclaimed in America\nand abroad. Today there are three vestiges to be seen:\na stone course from the northern tip of the Virginia\ncauseway abutment, below and to the west of Key Bridge;\none of the original stone piers, protruding about 6 feet\nfrom the water level in front of this causeway remnant;\nand on the Georgetown side, the massive aqueduct abutment\nof two stone arches which was built by the Chesapeake and\nOhio Canal. The heavy and impressive stone work, as well\nas the total impression of the massive structure, is\nreminiscent of the Augustan Porta Maggiore in Rome, which\nalso carried water across the top.\nProbably few structures of this kind can be documented\nas well: one can trace its progress almost day to day\nin the reports and.day-accounts of Major William Turnbull\nof the United States Topographical Engineers. Because\nof the U.S. Government's interest in improving domestic\ntrade and communication, and also undoubtedly because\nAlexandria was at that time still within the District\nof Columbia, Congress passed an act on June 25th, 1832\nproviding $100,000 toward the work. Major Turnbull was\nassigned supervision of the construction by the Army\nTopographical Engineers. On March 3rd, 1837 $300,000\nmore was provided by Congress.\n1829 The site for the abutment had already been fixed by engineers\nof the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Messrs. Wright and Roberts\nin 1829; nothing further was done, however. After being\nappointed to carry out the project, Major Turnbull conducted\nhis own examination of the river bottom and the site starting\n1832 in late August, 1832. His survey showed a greater depth\nof the river and mud than suspected, and he elected to\ntake a different angle, one that was at right angles to\nthe flow of the water rather than the oblique angle of\nWright and Roberts. He then applied to the Mayor of George-\ntown to use the lower part of 35th Street for the abutment\nsite because, as he suggested, \"it might be of advantage\nto the town to unite with the Alexandrians in constructing\na roadway upon the piers of the aqueduct. This suggestion\nmet with the decided approbation of the mayor\n(House\nDoc. 459, p. 3). Unfortunately, the matter was referred\nto the councils, who each appointed a committee. They\nagreed to let him use the street \"next west of the one\ndesignated\" but could not act definitely on the site,\nand nothing was done. Thus, Major Turnbull reports,\n\"we were compelled by circumstances beyond our control\nto fix the abutment upon the site designated by Messrs.\nWright and Roberts,\" which was adjacent to the west edge\nof the extension of 36th Street. (It did not, therefore,\n142\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 3)\nform an extension of the street as he had hoped.) \"I\nnarrate these facts,\" Major Turnbull explains, \"that\nprofessional men commenting upon the position of the\naxis of the aqueduct, which is oblique to the stream,\nmay be informed that neither Mr. Fairfax [the engineer\nof the Alexandria Canal Co.] nor myself had any agency\nwhatever in placing it where it is.\" (House Doc. 459, p. 3)\nIn view of these difficulties in securing the abutment site,\nit is indeed ironic that on July 4th, 1836 by act of\nCongress it was provided that \"the Corporation of George-\ntown\nbe and it is hereby authorized to sell in fee\nsimple, or otherwise dispose of and convey all that portion\nof Fayette St. (35th) and Lingan St. (36th) in said town,\nlying south of the canal The 36th St. extension went\nto Thomas Brown and Robert P. Dodge.\nThe plan of the aqueduct was also altered from Major\nTurnbull's original ideas. \"Having no instructions on\nthis point, we were left entirely to the guidance of our\nown judgement It was to consist of twelve arches of\nstone, supported by eleven piers and two abutments; the\narches to be one hundred feet span and twenty-five feet\nrise\nThis plan was approved of by the president and\ndirectors, with the exception of the superstructure, the\ncost of which, being beyond the limited means of the\ncompany, was left for after consideration. The plan was\nfurther altered by rejecting the abutment piers; but\neventually these were restored, on the recommendation of\nthe engineers. A causeway of earth, three hundred and\nfifty feet in length, was substituted for three of the\narches at the southern extremity of the work.\n\"The adoption of the causeway made a change in the arrangement\nof the piers necessary; and it was then decided that the\naqueduct should consist of eight piers, one hundred and\nfive feet apart at high-water mark; the southern abutment\nto be twenty-one feet thick, with circular wing walls,\nthirteen feet average thickness at the base; sixty-six\nfeet in length on each side, to connect with the slope\nwalls of the causeway. The northern abutment, which is\nto be built by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company,\nis not yet decided upon. Each of the piers to have an\nice breaker on the up-stream end.\" (House Doc. 459, p. 3)\n1833 Advertisements for bids to build the aqueduct, following\nthe above outline, were published on January 29, 1833,\nand a number of bids were received, varying from $99,092.13,\nto $247,909.63. The procedure seems to have been there-\nafter to hire out specific parts of the work to different\nfirms. The first one contracted built coffer dams on\na new and improved plan, since none to sustain the pressure\n143\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 4)\nof 35 feet of mud and water had heretofore been built.\nThese cofferdams were a complete and utter failure; the\nwater within rose and fell with the tides, no matter\nhow vigorously the pumps worked.\n1834 Work was begun again, with new machines, in January, 1834.\nIt took from March 4th to March 26th to pull out all the\nold cofferdam, and a new and heavier type was made, in\nwhich an inner wall was constructed from 40 foot timbers,\nand an outer wall of 36 foot piles. This was sunk into\nthe mud, the inner piles driven down to bed rock (through\n18 feet of water and 17 feet 4 inches of mud at Pier\nNo. 2, with which they began) and the outer piles driven\nwell into the mud. The space between the piles was filled\nwith clay puddling. The outer piles should have been\n40 feet long also, for much difficulty with mud oozing\nin from the bottom, and leaks occuring plagued the work.\nThe shorter outer piles had been chosen in an unfortunate\nsearch for economy.\nThe achievements of Major Turnbull are more remarkable since\nfew such cases in founding large stone piers on solid\nrock had ever been done before, and none at this depth.\nOn September 2, 1834 pumping was begun on the water inside\nthe dam, but due to many accidents, breaks in the machinery,\nruptures in the cofferdam, and so on, for weeks only about\none hour's worth of pumping could be achieved on any given\nday. Excavating machinery could finally be put in place\nin October, but again, breaks and flooding held up work.\nBy October 22, six feet of the mud had been removed, but\npumps broke, mud oozed in, leaks kept appearing and flooding\nthe excavation, dredging machinery was buried by sand,\nropes broke and stretched, laborers would not work in\ncold weather, and other such disruptions made the work a\nnightmare.\n\"I had been much disheartened by these frequent leaks and\nincursions of sand it was not very pleasant to recollect\nthat the other dam (No. 1) [begun in June, 1834] was con-\nstructed upon precicely the same plan as this, and that,\nconsequently, the same difficulties might be reasonably\nanticipated.\" (House Doc. 459, p. 15) Cold weather also\nadded to mechanical difficulties for it made cast iron\nbrittle and more easily broken. On November 23rd, \"during\nthe night it was so stormy that it was impossible to keep\nlights\" as they attempted to replace a broken crankshaft.\nMajor Turnbull was determined, however, to press on with\nthe work. On December 3rd, rock bottom was finally reached\nin the cofferdam for pier No. 2, but constant incursions\nof mud, that slipped under the puddling (because the outer\n144\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 5)\npiles were not at bedrock) settling of the puddling, constant\nbreaking of the pumps and other machines held up masonry\n1835 construction until January 3rd, 1835. The next day the\nriver froze over, preventing barges from bringing in stone,\nand work had to be suspended after protective shields\nhad been built around the cofferdam.\nSomewhat understandably, Congress did not continue its\nfinancial support in 1835, but private citizens raised\nmoney and work began again on April 22nd. Masonry con-\nstruction got under way, the blocks of stone being lowered\ninto the site by derricks, set on rails, and operated\neach by 4 men and a boy. \"Stones weighing from three to\nfour tons were, by these means, hoisted up and lowered\ninto the dam with great ease.\" (House Doc. 459, p. 19)\nThe finest cement was used throughout, and the ice breaker\nat the head was made from carefully cut granite from\nSandy Bay, Massachusetts. By June 21st, the masonry was\nabove the top level of the dam, and now hoists were used.\nThis work was inspected on June 20th by President Andrew\nJackson, and two of his cabinet members, and (with remark-\nable confidence) the water pumps in cofferdam No. 1 were\ndemonstrated.\nThe masonry for Pier No. 2 was finally completed on August\n1st, 1835; the total cost of the masonry, including the\ncutting and transportation was $6,986.18.\nThis account gives a fair impression of the first pier\nconstructed. Detailed plates of the dams, their framing,\nthe machinery, and the site were published as well as the\nreport, and thus was equally important to the engineering\nworld as to the Government.\nOn June 23rd, 1835 work was begun on Pier No. 1, the\ncofferdam of which had been put in place shortly after that\nof No. 2. Major Turnbull's fears were well founded, and\nbesides all the familiar problems that he had met with the\ncofferdam for Pier No. 2, the puddling had been in place\nso long that it was compacted, and would not settle to fill\nthe many leaks that opened up. The final solution was\nto use a pile driver over the leak. On July 1st of the\nsame year, the cofferdam for the south (causeway) abutment\nwas begun, and by constructing a floating saw mill, work\nwas greatly speeded up. Work was suspended on December\n5th.\n1836 And thus work continued slowly, learning from previous\nmistakes. Construction for 1836 began on March 22nd, but\nnew difficulties plagued Major Turnbull and his crew.\nOn June 2nd, the water was 5' 7\" above the ordinary point\n145\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 6)\nof high water, and thus not only were the cofferdams\nseveral feet under water, with one of the steam engines\nswept off, but the currents also eroded out mud and puddling\nfrom the bases of the dams, causing some damage. But\npumping out the water was still their most difficult\ntask: \"On the 20th [of July], the dam was pumped out again,\nbut soon filled. August 4. Another attempt was made to free\nthe dam, but with no better success than heretofore; it\nwas emptied, but filled again immediately.\" (House Doc.\n459, p. 71) Work on the south abutment and on the dam of\nPier No. 1 continued, and by November work could begin on\nmasonry of this pier which once started, progressed speedily.\nThis time, although the river froze over in November, a\nchannel was kept open by a barge continually plying back\nand forth from the cofferdam to shore.\n1837 In 1837, work began speedily in January with the completion\nof Pier No. 1, and continuing on the south abutment. Work\n1840 thus progressed on the piers until 1840, when the last\none was completed.\nBuilding the piers of the aqueduct bridge, then was arduous\nand constantly beset with difficulties; the annual \"Report\nfrom the Topographical Bureau,\" of 7 November 1837 stated:\n\"A more difficult work has been rarely heretofore under-\ntaken. It may with propriety be considered, for boldness\nof design and skillfullness of execution, as unprecedented\namong works of that kind.\" (p. 3) The following year, the\nReport of 26 November 1838 went further to say that the\nbridge \"is probably one of the most extraordinary works\nof modern times, equally adapted to reflect credit upon the\ncountry as upon its engineer's skill.\" (p. 367)\nThe northern abutment, which still stands today on the\nGeorgetown waterfront, was a less difficult task. Plans\n1828 for it go back to 1828 when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal\ndirectors noted the plan to extend the canal \"from the\nbasin at the western line of Georgetown to Rock Creek.\"\nMention was also made of the contemplated canal extension\nto Alexandria: \"it is proposed that a suitable site be\nprocured, and a proper abutment be erected\nto support\nthe commencement of the aqueduct.\" The previous year,\non July 3lst, 1827, a freeholders meeting in Alexandria\nhad resolved to subscribe $250,000 to the Chesapeake and\nOhio Canal so that Alexandria could benefit from a lateral\ncanal linked with it. The Alexandria Canal Company formed\nin 1830 had great difficulty in prompting the Chesapeake\nand Ohio Canal Company to construct the northern abutment,\n1831 and from April 1831 to July 1836 many \"respectful but\nurgent applications\" were submitted to them. Since little\nwas done the aqueduct bridge was, as we have seen, begun\n1833 from the south (Alexandria) side instead, in 1833.\n146\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 7)\n1836 On July 28, 1836, a resolve was passed to start work\non the northern abutment, following the plans of Major\nTurnbull, but was put off by the stock holders, and much\ndiscussion about the expected expense took place. On May\n28, 1838, Major Turnbull sent copies of the abutment plans\nto Mr. T. F. Mason, President of the Chesapeake and Ohio\nCanal Company, which showed the changes that Mr. C. B.\nFisk of the Chesapeake and Ohio thought advisable. The\noriginal plan of the abutment, which was compatible\nwith the then proposed arched aqueduct bridge, had been\ndrawn up in 1832.\n1837 The report that Colonel J. J. Abert made on the northern\nabutment of the Potomac aqueduct (12 June 1837) gives\nus a good idea of planning two years before work was\nactually begun on it. He states that the rest of the\naqueduct was of plain and sturdy construction, and thus\nwas not frivolous or expensive, and the Chesapeake and\nOhio Canal Company could have no real objection in con-\ntinuing it in the same style. The arched plan which was\nproposed was more expensive than the causeway on the\nAlexandria side, but in Georgetown it had to cross a street\nand so could not be a solid abutment. And, most interestingly,\nColonel Abert recognized aesthetic factors: \"There is no\ndoubt the expense of this connecting structure could be\nmuch reduced by the simple erection of stone piers to\nsustain a wooden trunk; but the undersigned, for one,\nwould regret a plan which would so disfigure the town,\nand, therefore, recommends that the work necessary to carry\nthe connecting basin across the street should be an arch\nof stone.\" (p. 15)\nMr. Fisk presented the plans again to the Board, with an\nestimate of its cost, showing where the site would be,\nand how it would attach to the canal, on July 19, 1837\nand agreement was finally reached.\n1839 Actual work on the abutment began in 1839: in Major Turn-\nbull's report of December 3lst, 1839 he notes that \"piers\nNos. 6 and 8, and the portion of the northern abutment\nwhich is upon the shore\" were worked on. Excavation of\nthe foundation of the northern abutment, the southern part\nof which would rest in the water, cost $975.06 1/4. The\nmodel of the wooden superstructure of the bridge itself\nwas made at this time, at a cost of $64.62 1/2. (Sen. Doc.\n178, pp. 20-22)\n1840 During 1840, work on the abutment sped along. Between March\n31st and April 3rd, an old wharf on the site was removed,\nand on April 6th, the frame of the abutment cofferdam\nwas put in place, and by May 23rd, it had been completed,\n147\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 8)\npumped out, and mud excavation began. On May 30th,\nthe excavation was complete \"and the rock was swept off.\nThe mean depth of the rock below high water mark was 19.8\nfeet; the lowest point was 25 feet below high water.\"\n(Sen. Doc. 178, p. 41) Masonry was begun on June 3rd, and\nby the 24th it was two feet above the high water mark.\nOn July 27th, they \"commenced setting the ring-stones\nof one of the arches in the northern abutment\" and on\nthe 30th \"the centre of the second arch\" was placed.\nOn the 10th of September he could note that \"one of the\narches in the northern abutment was closed today. A\nbreak in the canal wall held up work from October 12th\nto November 5th, since no stone could be transported to\nthe site.\nOn the night of November 11th, however, a disastrous fire\noccurred. It destroyed a warehouse, \"a large carpenters\nshed, under which the framing of the superstructure was\ngoing on; a truss, nearly finished; 270 pieces of North\nCarolina timber, which had been kyanized and dressed\nfor the stringers of the superstructure; and many other\narticles of value, including the model of the superstruc-\nture.\" (Sen. Doc. 178, p. 43)\nWork was soon resumed, however, and on November 23rd,\nthe second arch in the northern abutment was completed,\nand on the 30th removal of the cofferdam around the southern\nend was begun. It is interesting to note that in 1839\nand 1840, when most of the work on the abutment was done,\nthe total itemized expenses came to $39,519.13, with the\nremoval of the cofferdam costing $462.59 1/4. The stone\nhad cost $7,484.45 1/2, and the cutting of it $380.93 3/4.\nMajor Turnbull's report of December 3lst, 1840 with work\nnear completion, was full of optimism. The last pier was\ncompleted, and the northern abutment lacked only the para-\npet walls. \"When I reflect upon the numerous difficulties\nwhich we have overcome in the progress of the work, and\nrecall the disheartening predictions of that numerous\nportion of the community who looked upon the attempt to\nestablish foundations at so great a depth, and in a situa-\ntion so very exposed and dangerous, and who did not fail\nto treat it as an absurdity, I cannot but congratulate\nmyself upon having so happily succeeded; and whilst so\ndoing, I recollect, with a very grateful sense of what\nI owe them for it, the very generous confidence which the\npresident and directors of the company always reposed in\nme.\" (Sen. Doc. 178. p. 35) The success of the piers\nwas shown by a spectacular and violent breakup of the ice\nin February which did not harm them in the least.\n148\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 9)\nThe final stage of work was devoted to the superstructure.\nThis, as we recall, was to be of wood, constructed in the\nmanner used essentially for covered bridges in which\nwood trusses supported the load between piers.\n\"Early in the year our attention was given to the plan\nof the superstructure for the aqueduct, which, from the\nlimited means of the company, had necessarily to be of\nwood. The several ingenious plans of wooden superstruc-\ntures used in the country were duly considered; but one\nperfected by Mr. Benjamin] F. Miller, the master carpen-\nter and principal superintendent of the work, was preferred;\nand a model, constructed on his plan, having been tested\nin the presence of the president and directors and several\nscientific gentlement, was adopted by the president and\ndirectors who, with the same laudable desire which has\nalways governed them, to render the work as permanent\nas possible, ordered that all the timber used in the\nsuperstructure should be subjected to 'Kayan's process'\nfor preserving timber.\" (Sen. Doc. 178, p. 37). White\noak and North Carolina heart pine was used. (The finished\nsuperstructure was 28 feet wide, with a trough 17 feet\nacross and 7 feet deep, and a tow path five feet wide\nnext to it. The length was 1100 feet.) (Jackson,\nChronicles of Georgetown, p. 129)\n1841 The following year saw the completion of the north abut-\nment, and half of the wooden framework for the water trunk\n1842 was in place by November 15th. In 1842 the report from\nthe Topographical Bureau could announce that \"the frame\nto sustain the canal trunk [has been completed] and the work\nis now in such a state of forwardness that no doubt is enter-\ntained that the water may be let into it during the course\nof the next season.\" (House Doc. 2, p. 276)\n1843 The complete bridge was finally opened for use on July\n4th, ten years after work was begun on the Virginia side.\nThe local enthusiasm over this engineering feat can be\nglimpsed in contemporary guidebooks.\nWilliam Morrison's guide, published in 1842 before the\nbridge was quite complete, includes a (completed) engraving\nof the bridge which makes it look as though its framework\nsides were covered with sheathing. Since this was the\npractice with covered bridges of the period, in order to\npreserve the timber trusses, (which were untreated), the\nartist may have thought that a sheathing would ultimately\nbe added. Mr. Morrison points out that the piers of \"this\nstupendous work\" were built of granite and founded on\nsolid rock \"so as to withstand the shock of the spring\nice, which, rushing furiously from the stormy regions of\nthe falls and narrows above, passes with almost resistless\n149\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 10)\nforce against the bridges of the Potomac \" The aqueduct\npiers, however, \"built in the most masterly manner, will'\nbear up against any force that may be brought against\nthem.\" (p. 75) Charles Lanman, writing in Bohn's Hand-\nBook of Washington in 1861, also feels that \"stupendous\"\nis the best word for the bridge, and notes that it has\n\"attracted the attention of European as well as American\narchitects and men of science.\" (p. 108)\nIn the 1853 Washington and Georgetown Directory the author\nobserves that \"it has attracted the notice of every scien-\ntific architect in Europe and America; even Prince Albert's\nattention was called to it, though unfortunately he placed\nits locality upon the Delaware.\" (p. 67) Mr. Jackson\nin his Chronicles emphasizes its uniqueness in America:\n\"The construction of two abutments and light piers of stone,\nbuilt upon the rock of the river at a great depth below\nthe surface, was a triumph of engineering skill, not sur-\npassed by any similar work in the country.\" (p. 126.)\nA description of the Aqueduct Bridge in 1859 is also re-\ncorded by an anonymous traveler in an account he wrote\nthirty years later: \"At Georgetown the canal crossed the\nPotomac on a long wooden bridge or aqueduct built similar\nto a carriage bridge but instead of a roadway it had to\nsupport a box filled with water through which the boat\nsailed. This required that the sides should be braced\nand made sufficiently strong to keep the water from pressing\nthem out. At the very top was a narrow tow path and rail\nto keep the mules and driver from falling into the river\nbelow. After the river is crossed, the canal runs through\na nearly level country\n'(\"Life on the C. & O. Canal:\n1859,\" edited by Ella E. Clark, Maryland Historical Maga-\nzine, V. 55, No. 2 June, 1960, p. 116.)\nThe history of the aqueduct bridge does not stop there,\nhowever, for the superstructure was changed several times.\nThe need for a substantial bridge across the Potomac had\ngrown to such a point that the narrow carriage lane across\n1856 the aqueduct bridge was inadequate by 1856, and the House\nof Representatives requested on March 10th information\nregarding a bridge across the river at Little Falls, or\nnear Georgetown, or the purchase of the right of way over\nthe piers of the aqueduct bridge. In response to this,\nMajor Turnbull wrote a letter on March 25 stating his\nviews. It was far more economical to use the old piers,\nas they were built to hold a far heavier superstructure.\n\"A doubt exists with me whether the constant jar of the\ntravelling on the bridge would not cause the aqueduct\nto leak if constructed of wood, or a combination of wood\nand iron. I would prefer a superstructure entirely of\nIron\" which he thought could be built for about $500,000.\n150\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 11)\n(House Doc. 97, p. 5) This was almost the same as the\ntotal cost of the original aqueduct bridge which Joseph\nEaches, president of the Alexandria Canal Company (in his\nletter, March 15th) estimated cost $575,381.43, including\nabout $50,000 for the trough and superstructure. Mr.\nJackson in his Chronicles simply states that it cost a\ntotal of $600,000, with the locks at Alexandria $50,000\n(p. 126).\n1857 The following year the Secretary of the Interior reported\non his survey, and had a number of suggestions for the\nproposed bridge. He envisioned nine stone arches, of\n105 foot span, that would support the aqueduct. Then,\n\"pillars of masonry, resting partly on the pier-head and\npartly on the coping, support a superstructure of boiler\nplate girders, 8 feet deep, spanning the distance from\npier to pier, and bringing the level of the roadway to\nthirty-two feet across the aqueduct.\" (Sen. Doc. 40,\np. 10. 9 February 1857). This system had been tried in\nEngland and had been successful, and he also thought a\nrailroad might cross it as well. A partition on the bridge\nwould separate the road from the railway, and he estimated\nthe cost at about a million dollars. \"The boiler plate\ngirder has been adopted as being very reliable, presenting\ngreat durability, and in keeping with the massive archi-\ntecture of a heavy stone bridge.\" (p. 11) This indicates\nan interesting attention to the aesthetic problems of\ncombining stone and ironwork.\nThese substantial plans to revamp the bridge were cut\nshort by the Civil War.\n1861 On May 23, 1861, the aqueduct was drained by the United\nStates government, and the bed was used as an ordinary\nbridge, a wooden approach bridge crossing the Georgetown\ncanal, and connecting 36th Street with the abutment.\n1866 After the war, in 1866, it was returned to the Alexandria\nCanal company, who leased it to the Alexandria Railroad\n1868 and Bridge Co. In 1868 Congress authorized them to erect\na highway bridge over the trough, and charge tolls.\nThe original Queen-post truss bridge was removed, and\na new wooden superstructure added of the Howe truss type,\nbut strengthened at the sides with laminated wooden arches.\nThis should not be confused with the Burr truss, which\nalso employs large arches, but which are boxed in with\nkingpost braces. Both the Howe truss and Burr truss were\nused extensively in covered bridge construction at the\ntime.\nThe new bridge had two levels, the lower chord of the\ntruss supporting the canal trough and tow path, and the\n151\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 12)\nupper supporting the toll road. As Major Turnbull pre-\ndicted in 1856, however, the trough of this double-decker\nbridge leaked, which photographs of the 1880's show very\nclearly. Mr. Richard Jackson in his Chronicles of 1878\nnoted: \"It has now been ten years since it was reconstructed,\nand from present appearances, it will have to be rebuilt\nagain to hold water and sustain the weight of travel.\"\n(p. 130)\nBecause of local objection to the high tolls, Congress\nauthorized the purchase of the bridge in 1881, but the\n1885 Alexandria Canal Company refused to sell it. In December\n1885 Congress authorized $125,000 to buy the bridge, but\nwhen the Company still did not respond, the bridge was\ncondemned and closed to all but foot traffic. In December\n1886 1886, the Alexandria Canal Company finally accepted the\n$125,000.\nThe superstructure was again changed. A light iron truss\nbridge was put on the existing stone piers, supervised\nagain by a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,\n1888 Peter C. Hains, and was opened for public use June 30th,\n1888. Its cost was $80,905, and the approaches over the\nCanal an additional $50,000.\n1903-5 In 1903-1905 Pier No. 5 was completely replaced, and not\nsurprisingly we find that \"some difficulties were encountered\nduring the pumping out and making water-tight of the\ncofferdam\" (Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1906,\nappendix CCC). In the following years, other lesser re-\npairs were made to the piers. But need for a larger and\n1916 more substantial bridge led to Congressional authorization\n1920 in 1916 for a replacement, and in 1920 the present Key\nBridge was begun, and opened to the public on January\n17th, 1924.\nThe two bridges existed side by side for many years until\nthe iron superstructure and the upper part of the piers\n1933 were removed in 1933. In order to eradicate an \"eyesore\"\nand enable local rowing meets to have nine full lanes,\nall but one of the piers were blasted out by Army Engineers\n1962 in September to December, 1962 to a depth of 12 feet below\nthe low water line. The rubble was taken to Anacostia\nPark where it was used as foundation for sea walls. Pier\nNo. 1 was retained, and juts above the water about 6 feet,\n30 feet from shore.\nThe stone abutment on the Georgetown side stands essentially\nas it was built, except for the northern arch which was\nraised between 1900 and 1909 to enable railroad cars to\n152\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 13)\npass under it. Today, two types of iron fencing are to be\nfound on the top of the abutment. One is cast in a gothic\nlancet pattern and fastened into the masonry itself at the\nedges of the stonework, and probably dates from 1868. The\nother, far more utilitarian, made of riveted strips,\noriginally was the guard rail for the 1888 iron bridge\nwhich was carried across higher than the abutment itself.\nDate of erection:\nThe stone piers and abutments: 1834-1841\nThe Georgetown abutment: 1839-1841\nThe original wooden superstructure: 1840-1843\nArchitects:\nOriginal wooden superstructure: Benjamin F. Miller, master\ncarpenter.\nStone piers and abutments: Major William Turnbull, U.S.\nArmy Corps of Topographical Engineers, with suggestions\nof Mr. Fairfax, engineer of the Alexandria Canal Co.\nWilliam Turnbull, the man who designed the bridge, was\nchief engineer, invented the necessary special machinery\nand cofferdams, oversaw the work, kept track of the daily\nprogress, and negotiated with the directors and commissioners\nof both canal companies for 11 years deserves greater\nrecognition for this important early feat of American\nbuilding. The Dictionary of American Biography, (Charles\nScribner's Sons, N.Y. 1931, V. XIX, p. 57) gives an account\nof his life. In brief, he was born in Philadelphia, Pa.\nin 1800, the son of William Turnbull, a shipping merchant\nand iron master who came from Scotland about 1770. William\nTurnbull, the son, entered the U.S. Military Academy in\n1814, and graduated in 1819. He was then assigned to the\nCorps of Artillery and was mainly engaged in topographical\nduty until 1831 when he was transferred (as captain) to\nthe Topographical Engineers. After a survey (1831-2) of\na railroad route in Mississippi, he was assigned to the\nconstruction of the Potomac Aqueduct. During this period\nof eleven years, he was promoted to the rank of major.\nThereafter he worked on harbor improvements on the Great\nLakes and on Lake. Champlain. In the Mexican War (1846)\nMajor Turnbull served as chief topographical engineer on\nthe staff of Gen. Winfield Scott, and was active and gallant\nin all operations. For his services he received the brevet\nof lieutenant-colonel, and later colonel. After the war\nhe was superintending engineer of the construction of the\n153\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 14)\nNew Orleans Customs House (1848-49) and continued surveys\nof harbors and rivers for canals, lighthouses, and bridges.\nFrom 1826 until his death on Dec. 9, 1857, he lived in\nWashington with his family. The 1843 Washington directory\nlists him as living at \"N. side F n, btw. 20th and 21st\nW nr cen.\", and in 1846 simply \"N side F n, bt. 20 and\n21 w.\"\nImportant old views: A great number of photographs of the bridge\nin all its various forms are available (Fine Arts Commission,\nNational Park Service, Library of Congress, Peabody Room, George-\ntown Public Library, etc.). A selection is included with this\ndata book.\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources:\n\"Report on the Construction of the Potomac Aqueduct, by William\nTurnbull....\" 25th Congress, 2nd session, House Document No.\n459, July 2, 1838. (With plates)\n\"Documents in Relation to the Northern Abutment of the Potomac\nAqueduct.\" June, 1838. (Washington, but no other governmen\ndata) (in library of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washingto\nD.C.)\n\"Annual Report: Bureau of Topographical Engineers, Dec. 30,\n1839.\" 26th Congress, 1st session, House Document No. 2,\np. 671.\n\"Report from the Secretary of War.\" (includes plates & report\non Aqueduct) 26th Congress, 2nd session, Senate document No.\n178, 5 Feb. 1841.\n\"Estimates: Bridges at the Little Falls and at Georgetown.\"\n34th congress, 1st session, House Executive Document No. 97,\n1856.\n\"Report of the Secretary of the Interior, the report and surveys\nmade in obedience to a resolution of Congress, respecting\nthe construction of a new and substantial bridge across\nthe Potomac.\" 34th Congress, 3rd session, Senate Document\nNo. 40, 9 Feb. 1857.\n\"Report from the Topographical Bureau.\" 27th Congress, 3rd\nsession, House Document No. 2, 7 Dec. 1842, p. 276.\n\"Repair of the Aqueduct Bridge, and the Construction and Main-\ntenance of the Highway Bridge to Replace the Existing\nLong Bridge \" Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers\nfor 1906. Washington: G.P.O., 1906.\nMyer, Donald B. \"Georgetown and Aqueduct Bridges.\" typescript,\n1962. (files of Commission of Fine Arts, Washington, D.C.).\n2. Secondary and published sources:\n\"Captain Turnbull's Report on the Survey and Construction of the\nPotomac Aqueduct.\" The Civil Engineer and Architect's\nJournal, No. 7, April 1838, pp. 147-157.\nMorrison, William M. Morrison's Strangers Guide to the\n154\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 15)\nCity of Washington and Its Vicinity. Washington: Alexander\nand Barnard, Printers, 1842.\nHunter, Alfred (compiler, publisher). The Washington and\nGeorgetown Directory\nWashington: Kirkwood and McGill\nprinters, 1853.\nLanman, Charles. Bohn's Hand-Book of Washington. Washington:\nPubl. by Casimir Bohn, 1861.\nTurnbull, William. Report on the Construction of the Piers\nof the Aqueduct of the Alexandria Canal Across the Potomac\nRiver at Georgetown, District of Columbia 1835-1840.\nWashington: Government Printing Office, 1873 (reprint of\nprevious reports.)\nJackson, Richard P. The Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C. From\n1751 to 1878. Washington, D.C.: R. 0. Polkinhorn, printer,\n1878.\nWashington, City and Capital. Federal Writers' Project, Works\nAdministration. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1937.\nDuryee, Sacket. A Historical Summary of the Work of the Corps\nof Engineers in Washington, D.C. and Vicinity 1852-1952.\nWashington: Corps of Engineers, 1952.\nHorne, Robert C. \"Bridges Across the Potomac.\" Records of\nthe Columbia Historical Society of Washington, D.C.\n1953-1956, vols. 53-56, pp. 249-258.\nAnon. \"Life on the C. & O. Canal: 1859.\" edited by Ella E.\nClark. Maryland Historical Magazine, v. 55, No. 2, June\n1960, pp. 82-122.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nAugust, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The arched stone abutment on the\nGeorgetown shore is the largest and best preserved remnant\nof the Potomac Aqueduct Bridge. The bridge, begun in 1833,\nwas one of the era's great engineering feats. Records from\nsimilar constructions of the past, such as Strickland's\nReports on Canals, Railroads, and Other Subjects, (1826)\nprobably aided Major Turnbull in erecting this structure.\nThe first bridge, composed of a canal channel and towpath\nwas completed in 1843. The aqueduct consisted of a water-\nproofed timber trough with queenpost trusses. A stone abut-\nment supported the bridge on the Georgetown side, and an earth\nand stone abutment on the Alexandria side. Eight stone\npiers with icebreakers carried the trough between. The\nAqueduct Bridge terminated its service in 1933. Only the\nGeorgetown abutment and one pier, and a remnant of the\n155\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 16)\nAlexandria abutment remain as evidence of the fine construc-\ntion methods of the past.\n2. Condition of fabric: Though altered by raising the northern\nbarrel vault to enable the railroad to pass under, the\nGeorgetown abutment remains essentially the same as built.\nExcept for a concrete soffit, this alteration is undiscernable\nto the unknowing eye. The voussoirs, spandrels, string\ncourse, and coping stones all appear in good condition.\nThe extrados of the northern (modern) vault and a variety\nof vegetation project from the canal bed.\nB. Detailed Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: The abutment is rectangular, with\nrounded corners at the southern end, and a splayed revetment\nat the northern end (where the canal entered.) It measures\n138' 9\" X 59' 3\" excluding the revetment. There are two\nsegmental arch barrel vaults running east-west.\n2. Foundations: Squared masonry of sandstone and limestone\nto grade.\n3. Wall construction: The materials are scabble-faced, squared-\nstone masonry of gray and brown limestone and sandstone\nset in hydraulic cement. Continuous string courses and a\ncoping of rusticated stones project one foot. The string\ncourses occur at the top and bottom quarter points. The\nupper string course, due to the raised northern vault, is\ndiscontinuous. A fourteen-foot wide pier strip occurs\nbetween the vaults, and twelve foot strips on either side.\nAs mentioned, the northern soffit is concrete. The southern\none is original with a scabble-faced squared-stone masonry\nintrados.\n4. Structural system, framing: Load bearing stone walls and\nvaulting.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: Wing wall of scabble-\nfaced squared-stone masonry with continuous rusticated copings\nand string courses retain the southern berm of the Chesapeake\nand Ohio Canal. Beside the eastern revetment runs a series\nof concrete steps to the southern towpath.\n6. Chimneys: Not applicable.\n7. Openings: Not applicable.\n8: Roof:\na. Shape, covering: Not applicable.\n156\nTHE POTOMAC AQUEDUCT\nHABS No. DC-166 (Page 17)\nb. Cornice, eaves: A rusticated stone coping projects one\nfoot from the wall continuously about the east and west\ncrowns. Above the pier strips the coping has a thickness\nof nine feet, but eight feet elsewhere.\n9. Dormers, cupolas, towers: Not applicable.\nC. Description of the Interior:\nUnder the northern vault is a poorly paved road and railroad\ntracks. The southern vault shelters stored boats of the Potomac\nBoat Club.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The aqueduct bridge is\noriented north south between the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal\nand the Potomac River beyond the western terminus of the\nWhitehurst Freeway. It is also just west of the Potomac\nBoat Club. The Washington Canoe Club is about a hundred\nmeters to the west.\n2. Enclosures: Atop the east coping runs a section of wrought,\nand cast iron balustrade.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: None.\n5. Landscaping: South of the berm revetment, a disorderly\nundergrowth engulfs the walls and trees. This end retains\nthe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal's southern towpath berm, which\nis now used for recreation.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n157\n319-731 O-68-11\nThe Potomac Aqueduct, with original superstructure\nphoto: C. 1865. Peabody Room, Georgetown Public Library\nThe Potomac Aqueduct, Georgetown Abutment\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\n158\nBOMFORD'S MILL\n3261 K Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-143\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nLocation:\nSouthwest corner of Potomac Street and Grace street\n(formerly, Cherry Alley), and just south of the Chesa-\npeake and Ohio Canal. (The entire milling complex\nnow has the address of 3261 K Street N.W.)\nPresent Owner:\nWilkins-Rogers Milling Co.\nPresent Occupant: Same.\nPresent Use:\nOffices and flour mill, (first and second floors) and\nstorage (third and fourth floors).\nStatement of\nThis is the only old mill remaining in Georgetown,\nand is representative of an important local industry.\nIt was originally built by Col. George Bomford, merchant\nand ordnance expert.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners:\na. The following information is an incomplete chain of\ntitle to the land on which the mill is built. The\nsite is in Square 1185, lot 805 (old square 15, old lot\n79, northern part). The references are to the Recorder\nof Deeds, District of Columbia.\n1798 Deed November 22, 1798 recorded November 24, 1798 in\nLiber D folio 145\nThomas Beall, son of late George Beall\nTo\nthe Mayor Recorder and Corporation of Georgetown\n\"Said Thomas Beall of Georgetown is seized in\nfee of lot 79 in Georgetown and wishés to open\na street through the same as a public way.\nConveys part of lot 79 as aforesaid beginning\nfor the said street at the end of the third\nline of part said lot sold Sam Davison rec.\n10-19-1785 and running reverse with said third\nline to lot 42; then Easterly with lot 42, 33\nfeet; then Southerly parallel to the first line\nto Keys; then with the street called Keys to\nthe beginning. The said Street being called\nand known by Cherry Street continued to the\nstreet called Keys of Georgetown.\" (Potomac\nStreet is 33 feet wide on the Baist Atlas, not\nincluding sidewalks).\n161\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 2)\n1820 Will of Thomas Brooke Beall\nWill Book 31 folio 78 dated November 23, 1808\nProbated October 14, 1820\nExecutors: Hugh (?) Beall\nCapt. John Rose\nStephen B. Balch\nDirects that all his lands in Maryland and the\nDistrict of Columbia be sold by Executors.\nNote: The deeds of 1846 to 1859 below are included\nas they make many significant references to the\nBomford mill and the Ray mill and to their dealings\nwith the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co. Actual deeds\nof Bomford's mill have not yet been found for this\nperiod.\n1848 Deed December 9, 1846 recorded March 17, 1848 in\nLiber WB 141 folio 249\nGeorge Bomford\nTo\nAlexander Ray\nRecites that the 1st party by lease with the\nChesapeake and Ohio Canal Co. is entitled to a\nwater right of 400 in. to be supplied by said Co.\nfrom their Canal for use of said first party's\nmill house being situated on Lot 79 in Original\nGeorgetown, immediately south of the Market House\nof the grant of which water right is for 20 years\nrenewable forever, and first party has recently\nsold to second party portion of lot 79 being the\nlower or southern part and fronting 40 feet on\nwater street and extending back with Potomac\nStreet upon which second party is to erect a\nmill and second party has agreed with first\nparty for the purchase of 100 inches absolutely\nof said water right and 50 inches additional\ninches contingently, therefore first party con-\nveys to the second party 100 inches of water\nright granted and leased by said Co. to first\nparty to be furnished from the present Cotton\nMill and Factory of first party through a circular\norifice to be made in the side of said factory\nthe bottom of said orifice to be level with the\ntop of the present 30 feet water wheel of said\nfactory to be conducted therefrom in a trunk to\nbe constructed at his own cost\nAnd the\nfirst party also transfers unto second party\n50 inches additional of his said water right\nto be taken in same way and subject to same\nrate of rent and cov. of said 100 inches but\nthe grant of sale of said 50 inches is upon\n162\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 3)\nthis condition that the said second party shall\nhave said 50 inches no longer than he can obtain\na grant of 50 inches from the said Canal Co.\nand upon his obtaining the same this grant is\nto be void.\n1847 Covenant December 9, 1846 recorded March 17, 1847 in\nLiber WB 141 folio 254\nGeorge Bomford\nTo\nAlexander Ray\nRefers to the recent purchase of land \"for the\npurpose of erecting a grist mill thereon.\"\nHowever, \"some of this lot still further south\nthan the portion so sold and which until recently\nwas held by George Bomford, hath been recently\nappropriated wrongfully against the protest of\nsaid George Bomford by the Corporation of George-\ntown to enlarge Water St. [K St. Bomford\ncovenants to permit Ray to use this land. [On\nthe mill building now on northwest corner of\nPotomac and K Streets are two stone plaques,\ninscribed:\n(1) \"Erected for A. Ross Ray and Bro. by Henry\nRohrer 1847.\"\n(2) \"Rebuilt by Wilkins Rogers Milling Co. 1922.\"]\n1848 Deed December 9, 1846 recorded March 17, 1848 in\nLiber WB 141 folio 256\nGeorge Bomford et ux Clara\nTo\nAlexander Ray\nConveys lot. But the grantor reserves the right\nof use of the common sewer as set forth. Said\npurchase is made subject to debt due from Bomford\nto Thomas Corcoran. Same has been released\nupon condition that the deferred payment is to\nbe secured by deed of trust on said condition\nto William W. Corcoran.\n1848 Release March 17, 1848 recorded November 21, 1848 in\nLiber WB 141 folio 265\nWilliam W. Corcoran\nEmily Corcoran\nEx. of Thomas Corcoran\nTo\nGeorge Bomford\n163\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 4)\n1851 Deed February 10, 1851 recorded May 6, 1851 in\nLiber JAS 24 folio 157\nJohn Marbury, Trustee\nTo\nAlexander Ray\nBy decree, 24 May 1849, John Thompson Mason vs.\nGen. John Mason et al, said Marbury was appointed\nTrustee with power to sel part of lot 80 in original\nGeorgetown which he did on July 18, 1849. (This\nlot is the entire.east side of lot 80, which\nis later divided up.)\n1859 Deed December 30, 1854 recorded in\nLiber JAS 170 folio 155\nAlexander Ray et ux Hannaett\nTo\nThomas Wilson\nPart of lot #80, original plan of Georgetown:\nThe east line is drawn south with the \"Wall\nof the Picken House attached to and forming part\n[of] the cotton factory building of said Thomas\nWilson.\" A provision for light: \"Said Alexander\nRay and his heirs and assigns shall not hereafter\nat any time erect or allow to be erected on that\npart [of] the lot ground bounded by said grantee\npremises on West and by the Mill building of\nsaid Wilson on the East any building or structure\nwhatsoever by which the light or air shall be\nexcluded in any degree from said Cotton Mill\nBuilding.\"\n1913 Deed in trust, January 15, 1913 recorded January 18\n1913 in\nLiber 3561 folio 284\nThe G. W. Cissel Co.\n(a D.C. corporation)\nTo\nContinental Trust Co.\n(a D.C. corporation)\nRefers to \"the present mill of said Bomford on\nNorthern part\" of lot 79.\n1916 Deed January 5, 1916 recorded January 15, 1916 in\nLiber 3852 folio 205\nSamuel G. Eberly\n)\nCharles L. Bowman\n)\nGeorge W. Offutt, Jr.) 1st\nCharles H. Cragin\n)\nThe National Capital Bank of Washington\n)\nThe Union Savings Bank of Washington, D.C. )\nThe Potomac Savings Bank of Georgetown, D.C.) 2nd\nThe Farmers and Mechanics National Bank of\n)\nGeorgetown, D.C.\n)\nH. A. Waters\n)\n164\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 5)\nTo\nEffie A. Waters wife of H. A. Waters) 3rd\nHoward L. Wilkins)\nSamuel H. Rogers ) 4th\nSouthern part of lot 79 Sq. 1185, south of the\npresent main cotton factory building. Subject\nas to lot 79 to the following use, etc. received\nby Geo. Bomford in deed conveying said part of\nlot dated 9 December 1846, WB 141, folio 256.\n1917 Lease October 1, 1916 recorded May 24, 1917 in\nLiber 3977 folio 425\nHugh L. Bond, Jr.\nGeorge A. Colston\nHerbert R. Preston\nTrustees of all the property of the C. & O. Canal\nCo.\nTo\nDistrict of Columbia Paper Mfg. Co.\n\"Full right for 20 years to draw off from the\nC. E.O. Canal between 33rd St. and Wisconsin\nAve. 3214 cu. ft. of water per minute from the\nlevel between locks #4 and 5 to be used solely\nfor mfg. purposes.\" Annual rent $3120. (With\nrights to increase amount.) \"The old outlet is\nin Potomac Street and running diagonally southeast\nto property formerly occupied by said company\non east side of Potomac Street.\"\n1926 Agreement June 1, 1926 recorded in\nLiber 5787 folio 20\nGeorge A. Colston\nHerbert R. Preston\nSurviving trustees of the C. & O. Canal\nTo\nDistrict of Columbia Paper Mfg. Co.\nOn drawing water from the canal and their right\nto close it for repairs, etc.\n1928 Agreement October 12, 1928 recorded October 30, 1928 in\nLiber 5909 folio 369\nHerbert R. Preston\nGeorge A. Colston\nSurviving trustees of all the property of the\nC. E O. Canal, by virtue of decree of Circuit\nCourt for Washington Co., Md. passed October\n2, 1890\nand\nThe District of Columbia Paper Mfg. Co.\nand\nCrystal Ice Co. and\nWilkins-Rogers Milling Co.\n165\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 6)\n\"Whereas the following companies are now lesees\nand holders of certain water rights held under\nrenewals, etc....\" These companies wanted to\ndraw more water, and the C. E O. agreed, if\nthey would finance the improvement of the intake\ndam at a cost of $28,000--canal company would\ncredit the rentals as refund upon the amount\npaid, with 6% from date of expenditure of money.\nPaper Co. - $16,000; Ice Co. - $7,600; Mill Co. -\n$4,400.\nb. The following owner information is taken from D. C. city\ndirectories, to be found in the Washington Public Library,\nand from D. C. Assessment Records (National Archives\nmicrocopy 605):\n1865-70 Assessment, p. 296 (Microcopy 605, roll 12)\nPart of lot 79 on west line of Potomac St., and\n46 feet on (south line) of market space, improved\nby large cotton factory - $25,000 (Land, $5000).\nListed under Thomas Wilson, but has indication\nthat it was bought by A. H. Herr during this\nperiod.\n1865-70 Assessment, P. 354, shows that the firm of\nHerr and Welch owned property on both sides of\nK St. between 35th and 34th, which included\n\"large flour and plaister [sic] Mills & ware-\nhouse\" and on south side, \"cooper shop and\nwharf\".\n1864\nDirectory listing: Flour, grain and feed: Herr\nand Welch, 170 Water (K) Street.\n1865\nJames S. Welch, miller, home 53 2nd St., George-\ntown.\n1866\nWelch & Sons (J.S., E.P., J.H., & P.H.) miller\nWater (K) near Frederick (34th).\n1867\nJames S. Welch, miller (same location) home\n29 1st St.\n1868\nJames L. (sic) Welch, (Herr & Welch) flour.\nAbraham H. Herr, 52 2nd St., Georgetown\nHerr & Welch, flour, 94 Louisiana Avenue\n1869\nHerr & Welch, wholesale flour dealers, 82 and\n84 La. Ave.\n1870\nHerr & Welch, 916 and 918 Louisiana Ave. N.W.\n(renumbered)\nHerr & Welch, millers, Potomac, corner of Cherry.\n(this is the first mention of this mill in their\nlistings).\n1876\nNo listings.\n1877\nHerr, A.H., Georgetown (no mill listing).\nWelch, James S., of Fickling E Welch, Druggists,\n77 High Street (M) Georgetown.\n166\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 7)\nWelch Brothers (Edward P., James H., Rosia W.)\nmerchant millers, Water St. corner of Fayette\n(35th).\n1879\nHerr and Cissel, flour mill, Potomac corner\nof Grace.\nPioneer Mills (A. H. Herr, G. W. Cissel) First\nentry for the new company.\n1881\nHerr & Cissel, Columbia Mills, 3417-3429 Water\nSt. (these are the buildings between 35th and\n34th)\n1883\nHerr & Cissel, \"Manufacturers of Great Swiss\nprocess and centennial premium flour\" Columbia\nMills.\n1884\nHerr & Cissel, also manufacture \"Swiss & buda-\npest process, herwood and cooks' delight family\nflour\" 3417 and 3429 Water St. N.W.\n1886\nAustin Herr, proprietor, Pioneer and Columbia\nroller mills, manufacturer of \"Gloria, Swiss\nProcess, Floralba, Cooks' Delight, and other\npatent and family flours\" 3258-3262 Grace\nSt. N.W. (this address is clearly that of the\nBomford mill) and 3417 to 3429 Water Street N.W.\n1886\nA full page ad (facing page 452) for the Pioneer\nFlour Mills says: \"Pioneer Flour Mills, the new\ndiscovery flours. The model mill of America.\nDaily capacity, 500 Barrels. Founded 1832,\nrebuilt 1883. Austin Herr, prop.\" Included\nis an attractive though somewhat inaccurate\nlittle vignette of the mill, looking south.\n1886\nGeorge W. Cissel & Co. (G.W. Cissel, John D.\nNewman, and Samuel S. Cissel) flour mill, Water\nnear Potomac N.W. (this, in light of the above,\nis probably the \"Ray Mill\" on corner of Water\n(K) and Potomac).\n1887\nGeorge W. Cissel & Co., flour, 3270 Water St.,\nN.W.\nAustin Herr, 3258-3263 Grace, and 3417-3429 Water.\n1888\nGeorge W. Cissel & Go: office, 3260 Water, N.W.\nmill 3261 Water, N.W. (this is the present number\nof the \"Ray Mill\" site, corner of Potomac and K).\nAustin Herr & Co. (Austin Herr and Arthur B.\nCropley) millers, addresses as above, 1887.\n1890\nGeorge W. Cissel & Co. (G.W. Cissel and S. Sewall\nCissel) millers, 3260 Water St.\nArthur B. Cropley (miller) 3258-62 Grace, and\n3417-3429 Water St.\nAustin Herr, and James W. Walsh, bankers and\nbrokers, Sun Bldg. 1315 F St. N.W.\n1891\nGeorge W. Cissel & Co. (same address)\nArthur B. Cropley, miller, 3258-62 Grace (but\nno mention of the other site).\n167\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 8)\n1892 A. B. Cropley, 418 33rd St. N.W.: no mention of\nmill at all.\n1893 George W. Cissel E Co., Arlington Roller Mills,\n3260 K Street\nCropley, Arthur B., broker, 3319 0 St. N.W.\n1894 George W. Cissel & Co., as above. (It appears\nthat Cissel now owns both the Bomford mill and the\none below it, the \"Ray Mill\", together with 3260-62\nK St.)\n1915 No listing, 3261 K Street.\n1917 3261 K Street: vacant.\n1918 3261 K Street: Wilkins-Rogers Milling Company.\n1967 Wilkins-Rogers Milling Co. Inc., flour and feed.\nC. From the incomplete chain of title above, the directory\nand assessment records, and Jackson's Chronicles of\nGeorgetown (see Bomford biography) we can indicate the\nfollowing ownership of the Bomford Mill:\nGeorge Bomford: ca. 1832 - ca. 1850 (Bomford died 1848)\nThomas Wilson: ca. 1850-1866.\nAbraham H. Herr: 1866 - ca. 1876. During this time he\nwas variously in partnership with James S. Welch.\nA. H. Herr and George W. Cissel: 1879-1885.\nAustin Herr: 1886-1887\nAustin Herr E Company: 1888-1889\nWith Arthur B. Cropley\nArthur B. Cropley: 1890-1891\nGeorge W. Cissel & Co.: 1892-1914\nWilkins-Rogers Milling Company: 1916-1967\n2. Date of erection: 1845. According to the ad of the Pioneer\nFlour Mills (Bomford's Mill) in Boyd's Washington and George-\ntown Directory for 1886, facing p. 452, the mill was \"founded\"\nin 1832. This may be the date of the original building which\nwas burned in 1844 (Jackson, Chronicles of Georgetown, p. 120)\nand was rebuilt in 1845 on the same foundations. The 1886\nad also mentions that it was \"rebuilt\" in 1883. This may\nhave been simple remodeling. Newspaper accounts of the\ntime would reveal if it had been damaged by fire or what not.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Notes on alterations: \"Rebuilt\" in 1883. The first two floors\nwere remodeled into offices about 1932, wooden columns were\nreplaced by steel.\n6. Important old views: The 1886 ad has a small engraving of\nthe building from the north (see copy photo with this data\nbook). It is also shown in the bird's-eye lithographic view\n168\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 9)\nof Washington and Georgetown of 1883 by Sachse (Library\nof Congress, Map division), and in the \"View of Potomac\nfrom Georgetown College\" about 1893 (copy photo in the\nfiles of the Fine Arts Commission).\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\nColonel George Bomford, builder and first owner of the mill:\nMilling of various kinds was an important business in Georgetown\nin the first half of the 19th century, for after 1831 the Chesa-\npeake and Ohio canal provided a reliable source of water with\na 30-35 foot fall for the mills. Although Bomford is generally\nknown as an ordnance specialist, he was also a business man of\nnote in Georgetown.\nThe Dictionary of American Biography (Charles Scribner's Sons,\n1931, V. 2, p. 427) gives an account of his life. In brief,\nhe was born in New York City in 1782. \"His father was an officer\nof the Continental army in the Revolution. He was appointed\na cadet in the army on Oct. 24, 1804, commissioned as second\nlieutenant of engineers, July 1, 1805, and for the next seven\nyears was engaged upon fortification work in New York Harbor\nand Chesapeake Bay. He was promoted first lieutenant in 1806,\ncaptain in 1808, and major in 1812. Upon the outbreak of the\nwar with Great Britain he was assigned to ordnance duty, for\nwhich he proved to have a special talent. Knowledge of the\nmanufacture of ordnance was rare in this country, and his excep-\ntional abilities made him indispensable. The howitzer or shell\ngun named the Columbiad, from Joel Barlow's epic poem, was\nBomford's invention. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel of\nordnance in 1815, and in 1832 was made colonel and chief of\nordnance of the army. Upon the death of Mrs. Barlow, whose\nsister he had married, he bought the famous estate of Kalorama\nDuring his occupancy it was famous as the resort of statesmen\nand diplomats. The trees and plants collected there from all parts\nof the world, under Mrs. Bomford's judicious direction, made it\none of the most notable botanical gardens in the country. The\nfailure of a large cotton mill which Bomford had established\non Rock Creek crippled his fortunes, already impaired by un-\nfortunate investments in Washington real estate, and late in\nlife he was obliged to sell Kalorama to settle his liabilities.\nHe died at Boston [March 25, 1848], where he had gone to witness\nthe casting of some heavy guns. Bomford was the greatest ordnance\nexpert of his time in the United States, an inventor of note,\nand an able organizer and administrator. A good writer and\nspeaker, his opinions carried great weight both in the executive\ndepartments and in Congress He was a public-spirited citizen,\ninterested in religious, philanthropic, and artistic activities\nin the District of Columbia, notably in the movement which led\nto the building of the Washington Monument.\"\n169\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 10)\nIt is his mill in Georgetown, however, that interests us here.\nJackson, in his Chronicles of Georgetown (p. 120) relates the\nfollowing: \"In the month of September, 1844, the large merchant\nmill erected by Colonel George Bomford, at the foot of the\nmarket house, was destroyed by fire: and in the spring of 1845,\nColonel Bomford erected a cotton factory on the ruins of the\nold mill, which went into operation in 1847. Colonel Bomford\nconsidered that a cotton factory would be of more benefit to the\ntown than a flour mill, in giving employment to a large class\nof its population. The factory was run under his ownership until\n1850, when it was sold to Thomas Wilson, of Baltimore, who ran\nthe factory until the breaking out of the late war, when the\nsupply of cotton was cut off. In 1866 the building was purchased\nby our enterprising fellow-citizen A. H. Herr, who converted\nit again into a merchant flour mill.\"\nA more convincing reason for converting to cotton after the fire\nof 1844 is suggested by Mrs. Corra Bacon-Foster in \"The Story\nof Kalorama,\" Records of the Columbia Historical Society, V.\n13, 1910, P. 113: \"[Bomford] had a large flouring mill in\nGeorgetown which was destroyed by fire in 1844. There was much\ncompetition hereabouts then in grist milling. The field was\nclear for cotton mills which were prospering elsewhere, so he\nconstructed an immense water wheel and erected a four story\nbuilding on the site in which he placed three thousand spindles\nand one hundred looms. The mill provided employment for more\nthan one hundred men and women. The success of the enterprise\ndid not repay the outlay; although the city of Georgetown had\nassisted by remitting all taxes he found himself seriously\nembarassed. It is said he never recovered from his reverses,\nbut died broken hearted.\"\nIt may be this cotton mill that is mentioned by William A.\nGordon in \"Recollections of a Boyhood in Georgetown\", CHS,\nV. 20, 1917, p. 130-131: \"Almost in front of these warehouses\non the river bank was a large saw-mill of heavy timbers, not\nenclosed, where the logs which had been floated down the river\nwere hauled up and sawed into lumber. Next to this mill was an\niron furnace or smelter where to the delight of the boys the\nworkmen, generally naked to the waist, moved about in the glare\nof the molten metal. Then there were the numerous flour mills\nand a cotton factory which we were allowed on rare occasions\nto visit, the intricate machinery of which inspired admiration\nand astonisment.\" (ca. 1855-60).\nColonel Bomford was buried in the Kalorama vault, together with\nJoel Barlow. A portrait of Col. Bomford is reproduced in CHS\nV. 13, pl. X, and his wife pl. XI.\n170\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 11)\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\nGeorgetown Assessment records (National Archives, Group\n351, Microcopy 605).\nRogers W. Young, The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the Ante-\nbellum Commerce of Old Georgetown, typescript, January 1940,\n(National Park Service).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Dictionary of National\nBiography, vol II.\nJournal of the Columbia Historical Society.\nWashington city directories (D.C. Public Library).\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: D.C. Building Permits.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement\n1. Architectural character: The old Bomford Mill is central to\nthe Wilkins-Rogers Milling Company complex as it contains\nthe offices as well as milling facilities and storage. Attached\nto it are various modern structures. Bomford's Mill repre-\nsents a utilitarian functional design of the mid-nineteenth\ncentury. With ornamentation kept to a minimum, the straight-\nforward handling of the construction, materials and finishes\nare typical of commercial structures of that period.\n2. Condition of fabric: Well maintained. The foundation of\nrubble and red brick seems to be structurally sound. Concrete\nreinforcing supplements the brick (probably added in the\n1920's). The original windows have been replaced by metal\nand wooden ones. In various places these are infilled with\nexhaust fans, vents and louvers. To the north elevation has\nbeen added a white wooden colonnaded porch with brick dado\nabove which is a wood framed glass entrance foyer. In spite\nof the alterations, the structure retains much of its original\nappearance.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Rectangular in shape, running north\nand south, measuring 129' 6\" X 40' 2\". Two bays on the\nnorth and south ends (although bricked up windows are evident)\n171\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 12)\nand twelve on the sides. Four stories, and a basement .which\nis exposed as an additional story at the southern (downhill)\nend. Below this basement is an area with millrace tunnels.\n2. Foundations: The foundation is composed of rough rubble\nmasonry, common bond brick load bearing walls (various header\nlevels), brick arches, and recently installed concrete\nframing.\n3. Wall construction: Red brick in common bond with headers\nevery six rows. This is painted gray on the north elevation;\nthe corners are chamfered. Five pointed star-shaped tie\nrod plates appear continuously around the building at the\nsecond, third, fourth floor and the roof levels.\n4. Framing: The structural system is a combination of concrete,\nsteel and heavy wood posts; bearing walls of brick; and a\nbrick and masonry foundation. The mill framing consists\nof 12\" X 12\", 10 1/2\" x 10 1/2\", 9 1/2\" X 9 1/2\", and 10 1/2\"\nX 8\" posts (columns) with square beams of the same dimensions.\nAtop the columns are bolsters extending to each side, or\nsometimes spanning the space between two columns as well.\nBetween the beams are heavy joists carrying an assortment\nof floors: tongue and groove wooden flooring, concrete, and\nsteel plate.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: A simple wooden colonnaded\nporch extends across the north end. It consists of four\nwhite columns supporting a low pitched roof with an extended\nmetal gutter. Between the two inner columns is a recent brick\nand glass enclosed foyer. The lower portion is common bond\nred brick. Above this dado are wooden frames containing\npanels of 6, 12, and 24 lights. These are small panes.\nThis porch rests on a new brick podium and has basket pattern\nflooring. The middle 2/3 of the columns have chamfered\nedges. In the porch roof are three rectangular skylights\n(each containing four panes). Flanking the foyer on the\nnorth edge of the podium is a wrought and cast iron balustrade.\n6. Chimneys: A small square common bond red brick stack appears\ninside the northeast corner with a double brick string course\noccuring two courses below its top.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The main entrance, inside the foyer,\nis round arched with a semicircular three light transom..\nand two pane side lights. On the east side of the mill,\ndouble doors appear at every floor level. They are usually\nin wooden frames with four lights over three wooden\npanels. Near the southeast corner on the east side at\n172\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 13)\nthe basement floor level appear two large eight light\nover one panel doors; these are a later alteration.\nb. Windows and shutters: On the north elevation the fenes-\ntration is composed of six over six double hung windows\nunder flat brick arches with stone sills. They are\nflanked by double panel fixed louver shutters painted\nblack. The fenestration on the east consists of three\nover six over three, steelframed windows, and six over\nsix double hung wooden windows. The middle sections of\nthe metal ones are center hinged projecting windows.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: Built up roof sloping west, tarred\nmetal flashing seals the parapets which surround it.\nb. Cornice, eaves: The mill is capped with a corbeled brick\ncornice formed by a sort of blind machicolation supporting\na single projecting header row. From the middle of the\nnorth side west the cornice is reduced in height.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: Four modern skylights of\ntranslucent glass in the porch roof. Two small square\nbuildings (sheathed and roofed with tin) containing\nstairs and machinery sit on the mill roof. A concrete\nand brick elevator tower is attached to the south wall.\nC. Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans:\na. Basement: The rectangular storage space has two rows\nof twelve square columns down the center forming three\naisles which measure, west to east, 13' 11\", 11' 3\" and\n12' 0\". Columns are twin WF with WF steel beams, wood\njoists, and flooring of wood and concrete. The stairway\nis in the southwest corner, and connects all floors.\nb. First floor: The rectangular space with two rows of\ncolumns has the first five bays used as offices, and the\nremainder as production space. Columns are twin WF\nwith wood beams and joists, and wood flooring.\nC. Second floor: The rectangular space with two rows of\ncolumns, has the first four bays used as offices; the\nremainder is production space. The heavy timber columns\nare enclosed in plaster; the floors and joists are wood.\nd. Third floor: A rectangular storage space with two\nrows of columns; these are of wood, 9 1/2\" and 10 1/2\"\nsquare.\n173\n319-731 O-68-12\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 14)\ne. Fourth floor: The rectangular storage space has a single\nrow of columns down the center. These measure 10 1/2\"\nX 8\".\n2. Stairways: The main stairway, located in the southwest corner\nof the building, is a dog-leg stair with landings at every\nfloor and half floors. Nine risers connect the landings.\nEnclosed in heavy rectangular wooden stringers are 11 inch\nwooden treads with 7 3/4 inch riser spaces. There are no\nrisers, but the rear of the treads are sheathed in narrow\nwood boarding. Large rectangular wooden newels are connected\nby, single rectangular handrails. There are no balusters. In\nthe office section there is a single wooden dog-leg stair.\nA straight metal stair supplements the main one connecting\nthe third and fourth floors.\n3. Flooring: Concrete, steel plate, and wood decking cover\nthe basement and first floor. The other floors are narrow\nwood planking.\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: Finishes are rare, with the joists,\nbeams, columns and load bearing masonry walls exposed. In\nthe office areas hung ceilings and wood paneling conceal\nsome of these. The walls of the staircase are plaster.\nIn the second floor production room there is a hung ceiling\nand the columns have a plaster coating, but in most cases\nthe walls are brick and the ceiling is the underside of\nthe next floor.\n5. Doorways and doors: Except in the remodeled office area\n(where moden flush panel doors appear) the only interior\ndoors are sheathed in metal and open onto the main stairwell.\n6. Decorative features and trim: None.\n7. Notable hardware: None.\n8. Lighting, type of fixtures: Incandescent lighting.\n9. Heating: Oil burner hot air system.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: Southwest of the inter-\nsection of old Cherry Alley and the old Fish Market, now\nGrace Street and Potomac Street, Bomford's Mill faces north\ntoward the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The general setting\nis that of light industry and manufacturing with all the\nattendant noise, odors, and activities.\n2. Enclosures: None.\n174\nBOMFORD'S MILL\nHABS No. DC-143 (Page 15)\n3. Outbuildings: To the south it is connected to a concrete\nframe mill with storage areas. To the west are wood framed\ntin covered shipment sheds which are connected to concrete\nsilos.\n4. Walks: The mill abuts a new flat common bond brick walk\non the east with slate curbs. Set into the walk is a nicely\ncarved splash stone near the northeast corner of the mill.\n5. Landscaping: None.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n175\nBomford's Mill\nold water wheel gears\n3261 K Street\nsub basement\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n13-11 11'-3\" 12'0\"\n11\nOFFICES\nOFFICE?\nSTONAGE\nSTORAGE\nSTORAG\nn\nPRODUCTION\nPRODUCTION\nTRAP. DOOR\nTo OLD\nWATERWHEEL\nUMI\nM\nT\n177\nFREIGHT\nELEVATOR\nBASEMENT\nFIRST FLOOR\nSECOND\nTHIRD\nFOURTH\nTWIN Wr COLUMNS\nTWIN WP COLS. WITH\nHEAVY TIMDER CONST.\n91/2\" & 101/2\" SQUARE\n10½\"X 8\" HEAVY WOOD\nWITH wr (STEEL ) BEANS,\nWOOD BEAMS $ JUSTS\nWOOD FLOOR & Joists\nWOOD. COLUMNS\nCOLUMNS- SINGLE ROW\nWOOD JOBTS, $ cork.\nWOOD FLOOR.\nCOLUMNS HAVE BEEN\nCENTER SPACED\nFLOCKS CALSO WOOD)\nINCLOSED IN PLASTER\nBomford's Mill\n3261 K Street\nsketch plans\nC&O\nSUMILIAR TO NEW\nARRANGEMENT\nCANAL\nS\n178\nBRKK ARCH.\nTO\nNEW WATERWHEEL\nTUNNEL CANAL CONTINUES UNDER THE\nNORTH\nBomford's Mill\n3261 K Street\nnineteenth century water wheel\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\n3260-3262 K Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-148\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nLocation:\n3260 and 3262 K Street, N.W. (Georgetown,) Washington,\nD.C., south side of street, at foot of Potomac Street.\nPresent Owner:\nCorson and Gruman Co., paving contractors.\nPresent Occupant: Same.\nPresent Use:\nStorage and repair shop.\nStatement of\n3262 K St. was one of the original dock buildings of the\nSignificance:\nimportant Georgetown milling firm of A. Ross Ray & Bro.\nduring the second half of the 19th century.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information is\nan incomplete chain of title to the land on which the buildings\nwere erected. The site is in Square 1176, Lot 801 (old square\n6, old lots 29 and 30). The references are to the Recorder\nof Deeds, District of Columbia.\n1853 Deed February 26, 1853 recorded March 11, 1853 in\nLiber JAS 52 folio 228\nJoseph Nicholson et ux Martha Jane\nTo\nAndrew Ross Ray\nAlbert Ray\nLand in Georgetown beginning at the northeast corner\nof lot 29 on the south side of Water Street and running\nsouth with the east line of lot 29, 56 feet; thence\ndue west to west line of tail race on said lot; thence\nsouth with west line of said tail race to Potomac\nRiver; thence westerly with said Potomac River to west\nline of lot 30; thence north and with west line of\nsaid lot 30 to Water St. and thence east in south line\nof Water to beginning. To be held as tenants in common.\n1885 Deed March 30, 1885 recorded April 20, 1885 in\nLiber 1119 folio 276\nAndrew Ross Ray et ux Eliza L.\nAmanda J. Ray (widow of Albert Ray)\nElla R. Howe et vir Frank H.\nRobert C. Ray et ux Carrie P.\nCharles M. Ray\nClary Ray\n181\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 2)\nTo\nGeorge W. Cissel\nLots 29 and 30. \"Recites that Joseph Nicholson and\nwife by deed dated February 26, 1853 and recorded in\nLiber JAS No. 52 folio 228 did convey to Andrew Ross\nand Albert Ray, the above described property as tenants\nin common, and since the execution of said deed, the\nsaid Albert Ray has departed this life intestate,\nleaving as his widow and only heirs at law, the said\nAmanda J. Ray, Ella R. Howe, Robert C. Ray, Charles\nM. Ray, and Clary Ray.\" Consideration $3000. N.B.:\nThe original form of the whole lot had a section removed\nfor a tail race (1853 deed).\n1886 Deed December 27, 1886 recorded December 29, 1886 in\nLiber 1220 folio 323\nClary Ray unmarried\nTo\nGeorge W. Cissell\nConfirms deed of March 26, 1885 and March 30, 1885.\n(Deeds 1119-280 and 1119-276 were made by the grantor\nwhen he was a minor, but now is 21 years old.)\n1898 Deed April 2, 1898 recorded June 24, 1898 in\nLiber 2306 folio 473\nGeorge W. Cissel\nTo\nDistrict of Columbia\n\"Right to enter upon and thru lots 29, 30 Square 1176\na strip 25' wide and there construct sewer under the\nsurface. and to do all things necessary.\" (No assess-\nment or increase in tax against Cissel.) (N.B.: This\ngoes directly under 2260 Water St. but does not touch\nthe next building as it comes up the tail race essential\nand in back of the full lot 30.)\n1902 Deed December 1, 1902 recorded December 2, 1902 in\nLiber 2676 folio 460\nGeorge W. Cissel et ux Agnes C.\nTo\nThe G. W. Cissel Co., a corporation created and existing\nunder the laws of D.C.\n1913- Decree November 13, 1913 recorded July 30, 1914 in\n14 Liber 3731 folio 211\nThe G.W. Cissel Co. Inc., bankrupt\nAmended petition filed October 27, 1913 that the G.W.\nCissel Co. Inc. be adjudged as bankrupt. It appeared\nin court, pleading in Eq. Case #31975 said respondent\n182\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 3)\ninsolvent. Adjudged bankrupt November 13, 1913 and\nreferred to referee E. S. McCalmont.\n1914 Order May 12, 1914 recorded July 30, 1914 in\nLiber 3731 folio 212, Bankruptcy #906\nIn re\nGeorge W. Cissel Co., Bankrupt\nW. S. Hoge Jr. applied to and given bond with Fidelity\nand Deposit Co. of Md. of $5000. December 17, 1913\nsaid bond approved. Ed. S. McCalmont, referee.\n1914 Deed July 20, 1914 recorded July 30, 1914 in\nLiber 3731 folio 271\nW. S. Hoge Jr.\nTrustee in Bankruptcy #906\nSCDC in re G. W. Cissel Co.\nTo\nGeorge W. Offutt Jr.\nCharles L. Bowman\nIncludes part of lot 79 (1185) and part of lot 80\n(1185) (north of K Street, and opposite). Also\nchattels used in connection with Mill erected on part\nof said property. In trust for sole use of the National\nCapital Bank, Potomac Savings Bank, Farmers and Mechanics\nNational Bank of Georgetown, Union Savings Bank and\nH. A. Waters, according to their separate interests\nas set forth in said bankruptcy case, and with deed\nAugust 3, 1914 (Liber 3730 folio 248, August 4, 1914).\n1914 Deed August 31, 1914 recorded September 9, 1914 in\nLiber 3745 folio 16\nGeorge W. Offutt Jr.\nCharles L. Bowman\nTrustees under 2 Deeds in Trust from W.S. Hoge Jr.\nTo\nRose B. Parks\nLots 29 and 30, Square 1176 (described in 3561-284).\nSubject to lot 79 to use recorded in Liber WB 141 folio\n256, subject also for sewer for upper part of George-\ntown and water from mill of George Bomford, with all\neasements, buildings and improvements of every kind,\nmachinery and chattels, leases, and franchises which\nbelong to the Co.\n1920 Deed December 4, 1920 recorded February 8, 1921 in\nLiber 4483 folio 426\nSamuel G. Eberly\nCharles L. Bowman\n183\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 4)\nGeorge W. Offutt Jr.\nCharles H. Cragin\nTrustees under Deed in Trust from\nRose B. Parks dated September 9, 1914\nLiber 3745 folio 19\nTo\nEugene W. Hense\nLots 29, 30, Square 1176, subject to the privilege\nof right of way or outlet for a tail race to carry\noff water used by owners of parts of lots 79 and 80\nin Square 1185 for milling or other purposes. Also\nsubject to sewer rights held by D.C. under the deed\nrecorded in Liber 2306 folio 473.\n1921 Deed January 12, 1921 recorded June 1, 1921 in\nLiber 4546 folio 18\nEugene W. Hense unmarried\nTo\nJessie Owen Cugle\nSubject to deed in trust of $15,000.\n1922 Deed October 16, 1922 recorded October 19, 1922 in\nLiber 4813 folio 345\nJessie Owen Cugle\nTo\nAnna C. Harris.\nSubject to a deed in trust of $15,000.\n1922 Deed October 17, 1922 recorded October 19, 1922 in\nLiber 4813 folio 346\nAnna C. Harris (unmarried)\nTo\nJames P. Jefferies\nSubject to deed in trust of $15,000.\n1922 Deed October 17, 1922 recorded October 25, 1922 in\nLiber 4826 folio 335\nJames P. Jefferies, unmarried\nTo\nGustav G. Loehler\nSubject to the existing deed in trust for $15,000.\n1925 Lease June 27, 1924 recorded January 8, 1925\nInstrument #154\nG. G. Loehler\nTo\nPaul H. Brattain Co.\n\"Lease two story brick building on the east of Lot 801\nin Square 1176, rear 32nd and K Streets, Northwest,\n184\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 5)\nfor the term of one year, beginning July 15, 1924 at\nrental of $420, payable in monthly installments of\n$35 in advance. Privilege of renewing this lease\nfor further term of two years, and purchase for $4000\nduring life of this lease or any extension thereof.'\n1926 Deed March 8, 1926 recorded March 9, 1926 in\nLiber 5715 folio 200\nGustav G. Loehler et ux Marie J.\nTo\nMutual Building Supply Co. (Corporation of Delaware)\n1936 Liber 5695 folio 292, March 5, 1936\nSale at Public Auction\nTo\nMyer Cohen\nAlexander C. Robeson\nSold on July 17, 1936 to second party for $25,000,\nthey being the best bidder.\n1936 Deed August 14, 1936 recorded October 7, 1936 in\nLiber 7038 folio 85\nAlexander C. Robeson\nSurviving trustee\nTo\nRosa P. Hayes, widow\n(1936, still has a reference to the tail race.)\n1951 Will of Rosa P. Hayes dated October 14, 1926 admitted\nJuly 17, 1951 in the Orphan's Court for Montgomery Co.,\nMd. Ex. copy filed, August 1, 1951, Will book 419, folio\n596.\nAmong other property: lot 801, Sq. 1176, improved by\npremises 3260, 3262, 3264; assessed at $30, 087.\n(1952, the tail race appears to be filled in and the\nland now part of lot 800.)\n1952 Deed November 20, 1951 recorded February 1, 1952 in\nLiber 9654 folio 533, Instrument #6749\nSidney Paige\n)\nsurviving trustee under will) 1st\nof Rosa P. Hayes\n)\nLida Paige, sister of Rosa P. Hayes) 2nd\nTo\nWolcott P. Hayes\n)\nEllen Hayes Mitchell )\nSidney P. Hayes\n) 3rd\nMargaret Hayes Hibbs )\nRosa Hayes Mathewson )\nOliver W. Hayes\n)\nDavid W. Hayes\n)\nC. Willar Hayes\n)\nsole heirs\n185\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 6)\n1952 Deed June 13, 1952 recorded June 25, 1952 in\nLiber 9654 folio 539\nC. Willard Hayes\nEllen Hayes Mitchell\ntrustees under deed in trust from Walcott P. Hayes\nand others, November 21, 1951 recorded February 1,\n1952, Liber 9654 folio 539\nTo\nCorson and Gruman Company, à D.C. corporation\nConsideration: $32,500.\n1964 Lusk's D.C. Real Estate Directory\n3260-64 K St.: Corson and Gruman Co.\n2. Date of erection: 3262 K St: about 1855. 3260 K St: about\n1885. The lots were vacant when acquired in 1853 (Liber JAS,\nfolio 228); the mill on the corner of Potomac and K Street\nwas built for the Ray family in 1847, and this property was\nprobably needed for storage and shipping. The Assessment recor\nindicate that the warehouse was standing there about 1865.\nThe later building, 3260 K St., is clearly built onto the side\nof the warehouse, and in 1890 is designated in the City Directo\nas the office for the George W. Cissel & Co., successors to\nA. Ross Ray & Bro. The 1886 directory of Austin Herr, who\ntook over the Ray Mill with Cissel, includes 3258-3262 K St.,\nwhich includes this building. It was probably built shortly\nbefore, perhaps as a central office for the several mills as\nit is in domestic rather than commercial style.\nThe following information is from Georgetown Assessments for\nReal and Personal Property taxes 1865-70 (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, Group 351, roll 12): Lots 29 and 30, 40 6/12 fee\nsouth line of Water Street, 56 feet deep (the rest of the\ndepth of lot 29 was occupied at this time by a tail race),\nand 55 6/12 feet south line of Water street, back to River,\nimproved: small brick tenament 10 x 12 feet, 2 story, and\nlarge brick warehouse -- $3500.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: Second floor windows of the ware-\nhouse were blocked up when the office was added to the east side\ninterior second floor has been removed, and various other\nopenings closed up, altered and added, perhaps when converted\nto heavier industrial use by Mutual Building Supply Co. in 1927.\n6. Important old views: None known.\n186\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 7)\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. Notes on the Ray family and its business:\nThe waterpower provided by the C. & O. Canal made Georgetown\na good site for mills, and its closeness to transportation\nboth by the canal itself, and the Potomac, made the location\nideal. Richard Jackson, in his Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C.\n1751-1878, (Washington, D.C., R. 0. Polkinhorn, 1878.) writes\nthat there were eight flour mills (including \"Ross Ray and\nBro.\" and \"A. H. Herr at the foot of the market\") and a\npaper mill. (p. 123). \"The flour mills will shell out from\none hundred and fifty to three hundred barrels of flour per\nday\" (p. 124); \"the flour and produce trade has become one\nof great importance in our town, and most of our merchants\nare engaged in that line of business.\" (p. 124). As an inspec-\ntion point for flour, as many as 300,000 barrels were examined\na year. In William A. Gordon's 'Recollections of a Boyhood in\nGeorgetown\" (Records of the Columbia Historical Society, vol.\n20 p. 130) he mentions not just the activity of the busy\nwaterfront, but, along K Street, \"the warehouses filled with\nflour, tobacco, whiskey, salt, grain and other merchandise.\"\nBy 1842 we can be sure that flour mills were well established,\nfor in that year, William Morrison, in his Strangers Guide\nto the City of Washington and its Vicinity notes (p. 75) that\nin Georgetown \"flour mills are numerous and rank with the best\nin the country.\"\nThe flour mill of Alexander Ray, and his two sons Andrew\nRoss Ray and Albert Ray was built just south of George Bomford's\nmill, and separated by about 45 feet. Negotiations for the\nwater power that would be needed to run the mill were carried\nout in 1846 with Mr. Bomford, who had a lease of 400 inches\nfrom the Canal Company, and leased 100 inches of this to the\nRays. The deed of December 9th, 1846 (recorded March 17, 1848\nin Liber WB 141, folio 249) to Alexander Ray states that Bomford\nhad sold \"recently\" the lower part of lot 79 to Alexander Ray\nupon which he is to erect a mill. The 100 inches of water was\n\"to be furnished from the present Cotton Mill and Factory of\nfirst party through a circular orifice to be made in the side\nof said factory the bottom of said orifice to be level with\nthe top of the present 30 feet water wheel of said factory\nto be conducted therefrom in a trunk to be constructed at his\n[Ray's] own cost.\"\nOn the northwest corner of Potomac St. and K Street today is\na mill building erected in 1922, but on which is a stone plaque\nwhich reads: \"Erected for A. Ross Ray and Bro. by Henry Rohrer\n1847;\" next to it is a similar one which says: \"Rebuilt by\nWilkins Rogers Milling Co. 1922.\" Thus while the original\n187\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 8)\nRay mill is no longer standing, its site is still used for\nmilling.\nIn 1851 Alexander Ray bought additional land to the west of\nthis lot, and adjacent to it, part of lot 80, undoubtedly for\nexpanding the mill facilities. In 1853 Andrew Ross Ray and\nAlbert Ray acquired the vacant lots across the street from the\nmill, and on the waterfront, Nos. 29 and 30 (recorded March\n11, 1853, in Liber JAS 52, folio 228).\nOur next clue to the development of the Rays' milling is found\nin the Assessments for Real Property Taxes 1865-70, (National\nArchives Microcopy No. 605, Group 351, roll 12) that gives\nus the following information. \"A. Ross Ray & Bro.\" owned\nthe \"large flour mill\" at the end of lot 79, also \"55 6/12\nfeet, south line, Water street, back to river: improved,\nsmall brick tenament 10 X 12' 2 stories, large brick warehouse--\n$3500.\" This is probably the warehouse presently on the site.\nTheir property next to the mill, on the north side of K Street\n(53' on the street and 130' deep, according to the assessment\nrecords) was improved by \"a large 4 story brick warehouse.\"\n(p. 294).\nListed under Alexander Ray was a considerable amount of land\nalong the river front, i.e. the southern part of lot 32, lots\n33 and 34 \"with improvements\" (today lot 34 has a 19th century\nbrick structure on it) and also lots 35 through 46, which\nrun \"441 feet S. side Water street, back to river--with wharfs.\"\nThis, we see from directories, was used for coal storage and\nshipping.\nThe assessments (Microcopy 605, group 351, roll 13) for 1871\nshow that lot 79 (presumably the southern part) was valued\nat $2000, with the mill at $30,000; the adjacent lot (part\nof 80) having a building (probably the 4 story one above)\nvalued at $3,500, and lots 29 and 30 having \"improvements\"\nvalued at $3,600.\nWhen Alexander Ray died in 1878, it was his desire that the\nmill continue operation. After mentioning his Georgetown\nproperty, including (\"known at least by the members of the\nRay family\") \"Ray's Mill\" and \"Ray's Dock\" he stated: \"I wish\nand direct that the business of the \"Mill\" and also that of\nthe \"dock\" be conducted and carried out jointly by my sons\nAndrew Ross and Albert Ross, that both properties be kept\nalways in the best repair and the most effective working con-\ndition, that they keep the properties properly insured\n(Will of Alexander Ray, Will Bok 17, p. 95, will dated November\n25, 1871, probated July 3, 1878.) The \"Ray's Dock\" mentioned\nis undoubtedly the coal dock on the C. & 0. Canal that was at\n188\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 9)\n30th and K, from which the unloaded coal was transfered to\nthe wharfs on the waterfront.\nThis was not to be, however, for in 1885 the mill property was\nsold to George W. Cissel.\nAlexander Ray was born in Prince George Parish in 1799, married\nHarriet Ross in 1822, and besides the flour mill business\ndescribed above was also active in the coal business. Old\nphotographs of the Georgetown waterfront show that the area\nin which he held his property, and all the way to the Aqueduct\nBridge was one large coal yard, with elevated tracks and great\nmounds of coal. This was, of course, brought down from the\ncoal fields of Pennsylvania from Cumberland by the C. & 0.\nCanal, and here would be transferred to sea going boats. Thus\nboth of the Ray family enterprises owed much to the very nature\nof the town, aided by the canal, and the port facility.\n2. The following information is from Washington City Directories:\n1853 A. Ross Ray, res. n side Pa. Ave, bt. 19 & 20th St W,\nin Seven Buildings\nAlexander Ray, corner 20 west and G north\n1855 Albert Ray, miller, 396 20th St.\nAlexander Ray, 164 G\nA. Ross Ray 130 Pa Ave\n1860 AlbertRay, flour mill, Georgetown (res. 292 H north)\n1862 A. Ross Ray & Bro., flour mill, 118 Water St, Georgetown\n1864 A. Ross Ray & Bro., flour grain, feed. Water St. corner\nof Potomac (This is the \"Ray Mill\" south of Bomford's Mill)\n1865 Albert Ray, flour mill\nAlexander Ray, coal. res 164 G. north\nA. Ross Ray, rice (sic) mill, res. 172 F. north\n1866 A. Ross Ray & Bro, flour, grain, etc, Water, cor. Potomac\nAlexander Ray, coal, cor. Frederick and Water\n1867 A. Ross Ray & Co., props. Arlington Mills, Water, corner\nPotomac, Georgetown.\n1868 A. Ross Ray & Bro., milling\nAlexander Ray, coal\n1872 A. Ross Ray E Bro., millers, Water cor. Potomac\nAlexander Ray, coal shipper, canal cor. Frederick\n1878 Alexander Ray: no listing as coal merchant\nA. Ross Ray E Bro., same.\n1881 A. Ross Ray & Bro., millers, 3261 Water St, Georgetown\n1883 A. Ross Ray, 1901 F st NW (no mention of mill from this\ndate on).\n189\n319-731 O-68-13\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 10)\n3. Washington Directories provide the following tenant information:\n1913\n3260 K St. N.W.: The George W. Cissel Co. Inc,\n\"manufacturers of high grade flours and dealers in\nhay and grain\"\n1915\nvacant\n1917\n3260 K St. N.W.: Wilkins Rogers Milling Co.\n1924\nno listing.\n1925\n3260 K St.: Brattain and Allwine, chemists.\n1927-29 3260 K St.: Paul H. Brattain Co., chemists\n3262 K St.: Mutual Building Supply Co.\n(At this date, 1929, Corson & Gruman appears in the\ndirectory at the southeast corner, thus to the east\nof these buildings)\n1930-43\nBituminous Products Corp., asphalt products\n1948-54\nno listing\n1956-67 Corson & Gruman Inc., contractors.\n4. On the 1903 Sanborn Insurance Map, at which time 3260 and\n3262 were owned by the G. W. Cissel Co., 3260 is labeled\n\"office\" and 3262 as \"flour and feel warehouse\". (Sanborn\nInsurance atlas, in D.C. Public Library.)\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia; Washington city directories (D.C. Public Library);\nAssessment Records, (National Archives).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Journal of the Columbia\nHistorical Society; Richard P. Jackson, The Chronicles of\nGeorgetown, D.C., 1751-1878, Washington, D.C., R.O. Polkinhorn,\n1878.\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: D.C. Building Permits.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The Ray warehouse is composed of\na mid-nineteenth century structure and a somewhat later addition\nto the east. The warehouse is of simple and utilitarian design,\nsimilar to the majority of waterfront commercial buildings\nnearby.\n190\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS NO. DC-148 (Page 11)\n2. Condition of fabric: Poor. Alterations have been extensive.\nThe infilling of eight windows, the removal of the second\nfloor in both structures, and the poor maintenance of the\nbuildings have left all but the north elevation in poor repair.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Irregular shape (see sketch) with north-\nsouth walls at acute angles with north wall on K Street.\nMeasures 64' 8\" on north, 89' 0\" on west. The structure is\nmade up of two buildings, the Warehouse to the west (gable\nend to the street) and the Office to the east (flat roof sloping\nsouth). The office has two bays, and two stories; the warehouse\n3 bays and 2 1/2 stories.\n2. Foundations: Brick to grade.\n3. Wall construction: The brick load bearing walls of common\nbond construction have irregular header courses which occur\nat the sixth, eighth and ninth rows. Some of the walls'\nthicknesses reduce as they rise. Except for the east side,\nall wall exteriors have the lower portions painted dark green\nand the upper cream colored. An irregular pilaster strip system\noccurs on the interior face of the west wall. Because the\nwalls do not meet perpendicularly, wedge shaped openings appear\nat the corners of the north wall. The warehouse's east wall,\n1' 5 1/2\" thick, is shared by the office. Five and eight\npointed star-shaped tie rod plates continue around the ware-\nhouse at the second floor level; nine on the west wall and\ntwo at the attic floor level on the north wall.\n4. Framing: Brick load bearing walls support wood framing for the\nattic and roofs.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: A gable roofed hoist beam\nprojects from the apex of the north gable of the warehouse\nparallel to the side walls (at an acute angle to K Street).\n6. Chimneys: Two small corbeled brick flues begin at about six\nfeet on the interior of the eastern wall of the office. Sealed\ncircular openings near the base of the chimneys indicate that\nstoves were once connected.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: A large modern roll up wooden door\n(added later) of 45 panels, part of which are glazed,\nis located in the north elevation of the warehouse with\na wooden lintel and brick jamb. In the rear a large solid\n191\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 12)\nsliding wooden door is under a concrete lintel. A double\ndoor, consisting of two, four light over three panel doors,\nis located at the second floor level on the north elevator.\nIt has a flat brick arch with wooden jambs and sills.\nA six light over one panel door occupies the northwest\ncorner of the office street facade. The opening is formed\nby a flat steel lintel. The door has wooden panels on\neach side. (It appears to have been enlarged from a\nnarrower opening similar to the windows.)\nb. Windows and shutters: The office has brick segmental\narches forming hood molds, and wooden sills. Six over six\nand two over two double hung heavy wooden sash windows\non the north and east sides are accompanied by double\npanel fixed louver shutters, painted flat black. Above\nthe office window are incised wooden panels under the\narches. The warehouse windows have flat brick arches\nand brick sills. Small lunettes occupy the apex of each\ngable of the warehouse. The northern one has six triangular\nshaped lights and the southern one is closed with plywood.\nBelow the southern lunette there are three rectangular\nopenings of varying sizes with flat brick arches. They\ncontain ten, six, and six lights. The east and west walls\nof the warehouse contain metal windows between wooden\nlintels and sills. One has ten and the other fifteen lights\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The warehouse has a north-south gable\nroof; the flat office roof slopes from north to south.\nThe west slope of the gable is covered with slate and\nthe east slope has asbestos shingles.\nb. Cornice, eaves: The eaves of the warehouse have two double\nrows of corbeled brick, and the gable ends have a double\nrow along the edges. The rear (south) wall of the office\nis capped by a projected course and an ogee shaped metal\ngutter. Atop the front elevation (north) appears a cyma\nrecta over cyma reversa pressed metal cornice which terminat\nat each end in a corbeled wooden bracket adorned with a\nfleur-de-lis. Three courses below the gutter appears a\nstrip of canted vertical, dog-tooth, stretchers which stops\nnear the edges.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: The ridge of the warehouse roof\nis straddled by a rectangular skylight (which is concealed\non the interior by a ceiling). At the apex of the north\ngable of the warehouse, there is a ridge projection which\ncarried a hoist beam.\n192\nRAY'S WAREHOUSE AND OFFICE\nHABS No. DC-148 (Page 13)\nC. Description of Interior: After alterations, all that remains\nof the interior is a brick shell with a concrete floor, and a\nfire proofed ceiling. A bit of heavy ceiling molding remains\nin the office. Both structures contain fluorescent lighting and\nhot air heating. The only interior door is a sliding wooden one\nover the segmental arched opening in the party wall. A row of\ncut off wooden floor joists is evident midway up the walls in\nthe warehouse.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: At the southwest corner\nof the intersection of K and Potomac Streets, the Corson and\nGruman Co. is enveloped in the noise and odors of a highly\nindustrialized and well traveled area. The Whitehurst Freeway\nand heavy air traffic roar overhead while K Street and a\nspur of the B & 0 Railroad rumble in front. The noisome\nodors of nearby factories are much in evidence.\n2. Enclosures: Modern fencing encloses east and south edges\nof the lot.\n3. Outbuildings: a few storage buildings, but nothing of signifi-\ncance.\n4. Walks: To the north there is a concrete walk.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n193\nWARRING\nBARRE\nHOUSE\nRay's Warehouse and Office\n3260-3262 K Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\n194\n37'10\"\n22'5\"\n89'0\"\nN\n23'0\"\n+\n64'8\" 8\"\nRay's Warehouse\n3262 K Street\nsketch plan\n195\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\n1050 30th Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nHABS No. DC-154\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nLocation:\n1050 30th Street (formerly Washington St.), N.W.,\nWashington, D.C. West side of street just south of\nC. & 0. Canal.\nPresent Owner:\nWashington Gas Light Co.\nPresent Occupant: Same\nPresent Use:\nOffices and storage.\nStatement of\nA good example of mid 19th century commercial building.\nSignificance:\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information\nis an incomplete chain of title to the land on which this\nstructure was built. The site is in Square 1191, lot 822\n(formerly, Square 22, lot 27 and part of the north edge\nof \"Wapping\".) The references are all to the Recorder of\nDeeds, District of Columbia.\n1795 Deed April 23, 1795 recorded May 2, 1795 in\nLiber BZA folio 283\nThomas Beall et ux Nancy\nTo\nSamuel Williams\nLot 27 - beginning for said lot at boundary #50 and\nrunning Northerly with Washington (30th) St, 48 ft -\nwesterly 120 feet to outline of Georgetown - with\nsaid outline Southerly to boundary #52 of this addition,\nwith straight line to beginning.\n1805 Deed June 29, 1805. recorded August 13, 1805 in\nLiber N folio 128\nWilliam Williams, son of Samuel\nTo\nIsaac Owings.\nLot 27 in Thomas Beall's first addition to Georgetown\n($535).\n1836 Deed October 25, 1836 recorded November 12, 1836 in\nLiber WB62 folio 176\nJames S. Owens et ux Eliza A.\nJoseph Owens et ux Mary\nRebecca Owens (widow of Isaac Owens)\n199\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 2)\nTo\nWilliam S. Nicholls\nLot 27 and other land.\n1843 Deed in Trust, March 31, 1843 recorded June 17, 1843 in\nLiber WB 101 folio 308\nWilliam S. Nicholls\nTo\nJohn Marbury\nAmong other pieces, \"lot 27 in Beall's addition\"\nfronting on the West side of Washington Street south\nof the Canal. To secure debt to Thomas Fowler.\n1847 Deed and release June 17, 1847 recorded July 2, 1847 in\nLiber WB 132 folio 258\nJohn Marbury, trustee\nWilliam S. Nicholls et ux Margaret\nTo\nAlbert P. Waugh\n1853 Deed March 24, 1854 recorded March 27, 1854 in\nLiber JAS 73 folio 310\nAlbert P. Waugh and wife Rachel\nTo\nWilliam M. Boyce et их Mary M.\nLots 26 and 27 in Thomas Beall's Addition. #2130.\n\"Also the following described premises, being all\nthat piece of ground which fronts on the West side\nof Washington Street and bounded as follows: beginning\nfor the same at the Southwest corner of said lot 27,\nand run thence Easterly and at right angles with\nWashington St. to the West line of said street,\nthen Northerly and with the line of said Street to\nits intersection with the Southern boundary line of\nlot 27 aforesaid, then by and with said together,\nboundary line of said lot at the place of beginning.\"\ni.e. part of Wapping to square off lot 27.\n1854 Deed July 14, 1854 recorded July 17, 1854 in\nLiber JAS 81, folio 27\nWilliam M. Boyce et ux Mary M.\nTo\nWilliam T. Duvall\nLots 26 and 27 and part of Wapping, as above.\n1856 Deed in Trust July 3, 1854 recorded March 26, 1856 in\nLiber JAS 113, folio 241\nWilliam T. Duvall\nTo\nHugh Caperton\nLots 26, 27 and Wapping strip; to secure $2,200.\n200\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 3)\n1856 Deed in Trust March 18, 1856 recorded March 26, 1856 in\nLiber JAS 113 folio 244\nWilliam T. Duvall et ux Sarah Ann\nTo\nJohn Marberry (sic)\nSame as above.\n1866 Deed in Trust December 30, 1865 recorded March 15, 1866 in\nLiber RMH 15 folio 109\nWilliam J. (sic) Duvall et ux Jane\nTo\nJ. Carter Marbury\nLots 26, 27 and Wapping stip, to secure $3,141.02\n1867 Deed in Trust February 26, 1867 recorded February 26, 1867 in-\nLiber RMH 30 folio 169\nWilliam T. Duvall et ux Jane\nTo\nCharles M. Matthews\nTo secure $2,261.22, same lots as above.\n1874 Deed January 21, 1874 recorded January 29, 1874 in\nLiber 743 folio 19\nDistrict of Columbia\nTo\nEdwin Knowles\nLots 26, 27 and Wapping strip: \"158 feet West side\nof Washington Street and 120 feet South side of\nCanal, improved.\"\n1879 Quit Claim Deed August 12, 1875 recorded June 25, 1879 in\nLiber 915 folio 320\nEdwin Knowles et ux Clarissa\nTo\nMary M. Boyce\nCharles A. Buckey\nJohn Marbury Jr.\nfirm of Buckey and Marbury\nA. Ross Ray\nAlbert Ray\nfirm of A. Ross Ray & Bro.\nLots 26, 27 and strip.\n1879 Deed May 27, 1879 recorded in\nLiber 915 folio 321\nCharles A. Buckey\nJohn Marbury Jr.\ncomprising the firm of \"Buckey and Marbury\"\nA. Ross Ray\nAlbert Ray\ncomprising the firm of \"A. Ross Ray & Bro.\"\n201\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 4)\nTo\nMary M. Boyce\n(Lots 26, 27 and strip)\n1882 Deed January 2, 1882 recorded February 23, 1882 in\nLiber 993 folio 312\nElizabeth Boyce Judson et vir Oliver A.\nWilliam Boyce\n(Eliz. Boyce Judson E William Boyce sole heirs of\nMary M. Boyce)\nTo\nGeorge E. Noyes\nLots 26, 27 and strips; Consideration $7500.\n1891 Deed April 21, 1891 recorded May 26, 1891 in\nLiber 1569 folio 286\nGeorge E. Noyes et ux Susannah\nTo\nLyman A. Littlefield\nLots 26, 27 and strip.\n1892 Deed September 24, 1892 recorded October 3, 1892 in\nLiber 1732 folio 208\nLyman A. Littlefield et ux Alice\nTo\nSamuel C. Raub, unmarried\nLots 26, 27 and strip, and other land.\n1897 Deed in Trust August 6, 1897 recorded in\nLiber 2233 folio 421\nJohn D. Coughlan\nHarry P. Gilbert\ntrustees of Samuel C. Raub\nTo\nCuno H. Rudolph\nMax M. Rich\nT. Percy Myers\nLots 26, 27 and strip.\n1897 Deed in Trust August 6, 1897 recorded September 14, 1897 in\nLiber 2233 folio 426\nCuno H. Rudolph\nMax M. Rich\nT. Percy Myers\ntrustees\nTo\nG. Thomas Dunlop\nWilliam J. Miller\nLots 26 and 27 and strip, and other property, to\nsecure Coughlan and Gilbert $2,733.33.\n202\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 5)\n1920 Deed January 9, 1920 recorded March 4, 1920 in\nLiber 4345 folio 24\nCuno H. Rudolph\nMax M. Rich\nT. Percy Myers\ntrustees\nTo\nJohn O. Rabbitt\nAll of Square 1191 for $20,605.20.\n1920 Release March 20, 1920 recorded March 24, 1920 in\nLiber 4352 folio 36\nCharles P. Williams\nWalter R. Wilcox\nTo\nJohn O. Rabbitt\nLot 27 and Part of lot 26, Square 1191, also strip\nsouth of lot 27 known as part of Wapping.\nRelease of trust from Lyman A. Littlefield and wife\nAlice, May 25 1891, recorded in Liber 1569 folio 292.\n1927 Deed in Trust July 29, 1927 recorded July 30, 1927 in\nLiber 5921 folio 245\nJohn O. Rabbitt et ux Agnes C.\nTo\nPaul Rea, trustee\nLot 822, which includes lots 26, 27 and Wapping strip.\nIn trust for sole use and benefit of James H. Caton,\nhis heir, etc.\n1943 Deed March 25, 1943 recorded March 26, 1943 in\nLiber 7843 folio 277\nPaul Rea, trustee\nTo\nV. Stuart Davis\nC. Wendel Shoemaker\ntrustees of the estate of James H. Caton, deceased.\nLot 822.\n1947 Deed June 27, 1947 recorded July 1, 1947 in\nLiber 8522 folio 273\nV. Stuart Davis\nC. Wendel Shoemaker\ntrustees\nTo\nWashington Gas Light Co., a D.C. corporation\nLot 822. $93.50 stamps = $85,000 consideration.\n2. Date of erection: about 1856. The Deed in Trust in Liber\nJAS 113, folio 241 to secure $2,200 suggests that the building\n203\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 6)\nwas begun at this time. Duvall had acquired the land in\n1854, and as directory listings (see below) indicate that\nhe was a machinist, already living in Washington, it would\nappear that he set up his own shop at this time. It was\nstanding by 1865, for the Georgetown Assessment records of\n1865-70 (National Archives Microcopy 605, group 351, roll 12)\nrecords the following for William T. Duvall (p. 574):\nlot 26, 27, and west part of Wapping lot: 158 feet\nWashington St., 120 feet S. line of canal: $3000\nImprovements: foundry buildings \"brick\"\n$6000\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: The interior has been substan-\ntially changed several times. Tie rods were added some time\nbefore about 1914. Some time after 1914 the north lower door\nwas changed to three windows, the west door on the north\nside was changed to a window and a door. The northern most\nwindow on the west side was also bricked over. The building\nhas been painted aluminum.\n6. Important old views: The foundry is seen at the right side\nof a photograph taken about 1914 of lock No. 3 by William\nL. Vetter. The sign on the building reads \"Veterinary\nHospital\". (See photo copy with this data book.)\nB. Historical events connected with structure:\n1. Washington directories provide the following information about\nWilliam T. Duvall:\n1850 No entry.\n1853 William T. Duvall, machinist, S side 2nd,\nPetits new house, Georgetown\n1855 W. T. Duvall, machinist, 57 2nd St, Georgetown (p. 4\nof Georgetown section of Ten Eyck's Washington and\nGeorgetown Directory).\n1858, 1864 No entries.\n1865 William T. Duvall, machine shop, Washington corner\nCanal, house, 130 Congress St. (p. 381, Boyd's Washington\nand Georgetown Directory).\n1867 Duvall & Co., (William T. Duvall and William L. Dawson)\nCanal corner Washington, Georgetown. Founders and\nmachinists.\n2. On Sanborn's Insurance map of 1903 the building is labeled\n\"veterinary.\"\n204\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 7)\n3. Washington directories provide the following tenant infor-\nmation:\n1915 no listing 1050 30th St.\n1916 Philip F. Gormley, stables\n1917 Charles Mitchell\n1919 Charles Mitchell\n1921 J. O. Rabbitt Supply Co.\n1923-1929 J. O. Rabbitt Supply Co., coal & feed\n1931 Maryland Truck Equipment Co.\n1933 Washington Iron & Metal Co. Junk (at 1048)\n(all following are at 1048-50)\n1935 Harry Steinbraker, junk\n1937 Capitol Chemical Co. Inc.\n1050, also Kilgore Development Corp.\n1939 Capitol Chemical Co; Kilgore Chemical Corp.,\nand Kil-In-Sec Co., insecticide mfgr.\n1943 1048-50: Capitol Chemical Co.\nKilgore Development Corp. (mfg. chemists)\n1050:\nJesse S. Baggett, stone cutter\nFred Drew Construction Co.\n1948\n1048-50:\nCapitol Chemical Co.\nKilgore Chemical Corp.\n1050:\nFoundry Rubber Inc. (paint mfgrs.)\nFred Drew Construction Co.\n1954 Washington Gas Light Co., training school\n1956 same\n1960 same\n1962 Washington Gas Light Co., storage; rear, welding.\n1965 same; storage\n1967 same; storage, welding shop.\n4. Biographical note on the Beall family:\nThe name of \"Thomas Beall of George\" occurs many times in\ndeeds of Georgetown property in the very first years of the\n19th century, for he was the third generation of one of the\nmost important land owning families of the town. In this\narea of Georgetown we find that he owned in 1795 the land\nthat 1050 30th St. is now on, opened up lower Potomac Street\nin 1798 through land on which Bomford's Mill was later built,\nand in 1801 owned the land on which 1068 30th Street was\nbuilt.\nHis grandfather Ninian Beall was one of the first to settle\nin the region of Georgetown in the early 18th century, and\nowned vast tracts of land. He had been born in Scotland in\n1625, was captured by Cromwell and Monk at the Battle of\nDunbar (1650), and as a prisoner, taken to Maryland about\n1655-1658. \"In 1703 he received a grant from Lord Baltimore\nwhich included much of the ground on which the town stands.\n205\n319-731 O-68-14\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 8)\nHe patented 795 acres of land, which he called Rock of\nDumbarton He died in 1717 in his ninety-third year.\"\n(Cordelia Jackson, \"People and Places in Old Georgetown,\"\nRecords of the Columbia Historical Society, V. 33-34, 1932,\np. 135.)\nGeorge Beall, (1695-1780) inherited the Rock of Dumbarton\ntract from his father, and was one of the major landholders\nwhen the Maryland Comissioners (authorized May 15, 1751)\nset about to lay out George-Town. George Beall, and George\nGordon (another early settler who ran the Tobacco Inspection\nHouse so important for the trade of the area) refused at\nfirst to sell the land chosen by the Commissioners, who\ntherefore took it anyway and awarded them 280 pounds, and\na right to select two lots each in the new town. Both accepted,\nbut George Beall, on March 7, 1752, objected strenuously:\n\"But I do hereby protest and declare that my acceptance of\nthe said lots, which is by force, shall not debar me from\nfuture redress from the Commissioners (Richard P.\nJackson, The Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-1878,\nWashington, D.C., R. 0. Polkinhorn, 1878, p. 5.). It was\nGeorge Beall who built Dumbarton House (2715 Q Street, N.W.)\nabout 1748.\nAlthough George Beall had two sons, George Beall (jr.) (1730-\n1807) and Thomas Beall (\"of George,\" as he always styled\nhimself), it was the latter who received his father's George-\ntown property, through an agreement with his older brother.\nOn September 26, 1773 he married Ann Orme, daughter of\ninnkeeper John Orme and Lucy Beall. Their daughter Elizabeth\nmarried a nephew of George Washington. Just as his father\nhad been important in laying out George-Town, so Thomas\nBeall of George (1742-1819) was connected with the planning\nof the District of Columbia. He, along with Robert Peter,\nWilliam Deakins Jr., and his father George Beall, signed\nthe letter of October 13, 1790 offering George Washington\nthe lands in the area of the proposed Capital at an equitable\nprice, and setting forth the appropriateness of the setting.\nFrom an early time it is clear that Thomas Beall was an\nimportant figure in Georgetown civic activity. In 1788,\ntogether with Robert Peter and William Deakins Jr., he was\nchosen as a Commissioner for the construction of a bridge\nacross Rock Creek at the east end of Bridge (M) Street, and\nadvertised for bids at that time. On January 3, 1791 he was\nelected the second Mayor of Georgetown, and served a one year\nterm. During the planning for the Federal City, when George\nWashington was in Georgetown, he took part in the discussions,\nand was later appointed (with John M. Gantt, another George-\ntowner) one of the \"City Trustees\" for the Federal City.\n206\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 9)\nIn a letter to these two gentlemen, in 1796, Washington\nrequests them to convey \"all lands in the Towns of Carrols-\nburgh and Hamburgh\" to Gustavus Scott, William Thornton,\nand Alexander White who had been appointed city Commissioners\nby Congress. (\"The Writings of George Washington Relating\nto the National Capital,\" CHS, V. 17, pp. 170-171.)\nThomas Beall held large tracts of land in Georgetown, and\nthree of the most important, above the waterfront district,\nwere Dumbarton House (which he sold in 1796), the land which\nhe sold in 1794 to the wealthy shipping merchant Francis\nLowndes, and on which Tudor Place was later built, and the\nland which he sold in 1800 on which Dumbarton Oaks now stands.\nGeorgetown assessment records of 1800-07 (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, group 351, roll 7) provides us the following\nlist of his property:\n1 lot No. 72 on Water St. [K] and Cherry Alley with\nimprovements\n7000\npart of lot 79 on the water side with an.\nold house\n400\n1 lot No. 63 and brick house where Col\nPlater [?] lives\n3000\n37 lots in T. Bealls addition\n3000\n$13,400\nA subsequent entry in the same assessment book lists \"lot\non Gay [36th] Street - $3000\" which may be the lot 63 above.\n5. Biographical note on John Marbury:\nA great number of Georgetown buildings list John Marbury\nin their chains of title, for he often acted as a trustee.\nIn 1833 he was appointed by the Circuit Court of the District\nof Columbia to sell 1068 30th Street; in 1843-47 he held\nin trust 1050 30th Street; in 1849 he held also 1052-54\nPotomac; and in 1858, with two other trustees for the defunct\nUnion Bank of Georgetown, disposed of 1069 Jefferson Street,\nwhich had been taken over by the Bank in 1828.\nJackson, in his Chronicles of Georgetown notes that among\nthe \"several other desirable residences on the heights\" of\nGeorgetown, Marbury's house was one of them. (p. 32) His\nother references to Mr. Marbury are all related to his ac-\ntivities in Christ Episcopal Church, of Georgetown. In 1820-\n1825 we find him \"among the vestry, and active supporters\nof the church\" (p. 195). About 1835 \"we also find in the\nminutes of the vestry the resignation of Mr. John Marbury,\nwho had filled the laborious office of treasurer for so\nmany years, and to whose energetic efforts the debt which\n207\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 10)\nwas contracted in building the Church, and which had hung\nas an incubus on its prosperity, was finally discharged.'\n(p. 197.) References in 1841 and 1845 show that on Easter\nmorning each year he was among the vestry. In 1847, \"exten-\nsive repairs and changes were made in the church building\nunder the supervision of Messrs. Lyons, W. R. Abbott, H. C.\nMatthews, and J. Marbury.\" (p. 198.) The church building\nwas torn down in 1867.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: 1050 30th Street represents a\ntypically functional commercial structure erected in the\nmid-nineteenth century.\n2. Condition of fabric: Reinforcement, painting, and changes\nin openings have marred the exterior; alterations have\ndestroyed the interior.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: Rectangular structure, measuring 88'5\"\nX about 26', four bays on the south end, three on north, and\nten on each side. Two and 1/2 stories, with basement (par-\ntially exposed to the south).\n2. Foundations: Random range ashlar masonry on the exterior\nof the foundation wall with rough rubble on the interior.\n3. Wall construction: Exterior walls are common red brick\nwith headers every six courses; now painted metallic silver.\nVoussoirs have been painted a darker shade. Ten recessed\nbays 5' 8\" wide extend the length of the east and west walls,\nwhile three and four bays occur on the north and south.\nPilaster strips 2' 10\" wide merge into a projecting brick\nsurface which continues around the building below the cornice.\nFive pointed star-shaped tie rod plates are found on the\npilaster strips of the east and west walls. At the second\nfloor level on the north and south ends the tie rods occur\nat the second and third floor levels and below the apexes.\n4. Framing: Brick load bearing walls and wood flooring.\n208\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 11)\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: A coursed rubble retaining\nwall with slate coping forms an exterior well containing\nthe straight stair leading to the basement on the east side:\n9\" treads and 9 1/2\" risers.\n6. Chimneys: Inside the second pilaster strip north of the\nsouth corner on the west wall is a brick chimney, painted\nred. A triple brick course runs one course below the top.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The recessed two floor bays contain\na variety of openings: a flat brick arch over a one light\ntransom above a one pane/two panel wooden door; a seg-\nmental arch over a one light/three panel door; a wooden\nlintel opening containing a single light transom above\ntwo single light doors; and a double opening framed by\na WF steel lintel over a double wooden door (a pilaster\nstrip stops above the WF lintel in corbeling). Above\nthe single door on the second floor level (west side)\nis an old wooden lintel enclosed in brick.\nb. Windows and shutters: An assortment (6/6, 2/2, 1/1)\nof double hung wood and metal windows occur in flat\nbrick arched openings, some of which have recently been\nreinforced with steel and wooden lintels. The facade\n(north elevation) has three bays, the middle one double;\nin this there is a large three-centered arched opening\nwhich has been sealed up. Below this opening there are\nthree 2/2 double hung windows under segmental arches.\nAll other windows on the north facade are similar to the\nrest of the building except for one which has an arched\nopening and two which are small rectangular eight light\nwindows.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: A shingle covered north-south gable\nroof.\nb. Cornice, eaves: The east and west elevations are crowned\nby cornices consisting of projected curved metal gutters\natop three corbeled brick courses. Along the gable edges\nrun a double projecting brick course.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: None.\nC. Detailed Description of Interior:\nAlterations and reinforcements, which have been taking place for\n209\nDUVALL FOUNDRY\nHABS No. DC-154 (Page 12)\nmany years, have SO changed the interior as to make it totally\nmeaningless both architecturally and historically.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The building is located\non the southwest corner of the intersection of the Chesapeake\nand Ohio Canal and 30th Street, running north and south.\nThe warehouse was well situated for a commercial structure\nof the nineteenth century, with easy access to rail, canal,\nriver and land transportation.\n2. Enclosures: Modern fencing encloses the lot on all sides.\n3. Outbuildings: One in poor condition.\n4. Walks: A common bond red brick public walk abuts the warehouse\non the east. The other sides have asphalt paving.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n210\nVETERMARY.\nHOSPITAL\nDuvall Foundry\n1050 30th Street\nnorthwest corner\nphoto: William L. Vetter, C. 1914\nsoutheast corner\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n211\nWARRING'S BARREL HOUSE\n3256 K Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE Distirct of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\nSTREET NO. 3256 K Street, N. W.\n2. NAME\nWarring's Barrel House\nORIGINAL OWNER Not known\nDATE OR PERIOD 1860's\nSTYLE\nORIGINAL USE\nNot known\ncommercial\nARCHITECT\nPRESENT OWNER Bruce T. Warring\nNot known\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nNot known\nBarrel Company\nWALL CONSTRUCTION Brick - 1/8 common bond³. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES\n1 1/2\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nThis structure is of interest for its simple functional design, utilizing\nstructural ribs on the facade to marks its divisions and make the front\nless monotonous.\nThe original brick bearing walls and wood framing are still in use. The\ncommon bond red brick walls are composed of pilaster strips with project-\ning flat brick cornice and base strips forming recessed bays. The heavy\nwood framing consists of two rows of large square wooden columns and\nbeams supporting a heavy wooden roof system.\nA gable roof (monitor type) covers the center portion with lean-to roofs\nover the side portions. The center raised section is sheathed on the\neast and west in clapboarding, and with brick on the north and south\ngables. Wood infilled windows occur in the side clapboarding.\nThe north elevation is composed of a central two story bay flanked by one\nstory lean-to roofed wings. The central section has double wooden doors\nvertically boarded on the first floor, and diagonally boarded on the\nsecond floor. The western potion of the north elevation has a four light\nover two panel wooden door behind a wooden screen door and a steel\nlinteled two over two double hung wooden window. Along the west eleva-\ntion are seven recessed bays; two contain large segmentally arched\nwindows and one ᵃflat (steel-linteled) opening. The west eave has a\nrounded metal gutter. To the east all except a small portion abuts\nanother building.\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No\nInterior Fair\nExterior Fair\nPotomac St.\nK Street\nWarring's\nBarrel\nHouse\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAR (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD September, 1967\n215\nWarring's Barrel House\n3256 K Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n216\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\n3034 M Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-142\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nLocation:\n3034 M Street N.W., (Georgetown), Washington, D.C.,\nsouth side of street, corner of Thomas Jefferson\nStreet. Stable/garage is behind the main building\nat what would be about 1083 Thomas Jefferson Street.\nPresent Owner:\nJacqueline Antone (1966)\nPresent Occupant: Vacant\nPresident Use:\nVacant\nStatement of\nThe house facade has fine cast iron details. The\nSignificance:\nstable/garage is the only late 19th century struc-\nture of its kind remaining in the Georgetown\nwaterfront area.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical history:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following information\nis the chaín of title to the land on which the buildings\nare located. The site is Square 1197, lot 808 (old lot\n60, subdivisions 1 and 3). The references are to the\nRecorder of Deeds, District of Columbia.\n1797 Right of Way dated January 8, 1797, recorded\nJanuary 8, 1797 in\nLiber B folio 619\nRobert Peter\nTo\nCorporation of Georgetown\n\"Beginning at the south side of Bridge [M] Street\nat the end of 239'6\" in easterly direction from\nnorthwest corner of Bridge Street and Fishing\nLane, and running southerly parallel with Fishing\nLane until it intersects the north side of cause-\nway [K Street]--easterly with north side of\ncauseway for the length of 60'--northerly parallel\nwith first line to Bridge Streeet, thence to\nbeginning. Peter conveys as much of the above\nground as is included in [his] lot 60 for a public\nhighway [Thomas Jefferson Street].\"\n219\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 2)\n1798 Deed August 3, 1798 recorded August 4, 1798 in\nLiber D folio 22\nJohn Howes\nTo\nJohn Thompson\nConveys lot 61 in Georgetown, commonly called the\n\"Spring lot\".\n1799 Deed January 30, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 269\nJohn Thompson\nTo\nJames Thompson\nLot 61\n1799 Deed May 14, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 272\nJames Thompson\nTo\nRobert Peter\nLot 61\n1799 Partition May 20, 1799 recorded May 25, 1799 in\nLiber D folio 267\nRobert Peter\nJames Thompson\nJohn M. Gantt\nA division of lot 61 and part of lot 60: \"it is\nmutually agreed that said lot 61 and part of lot\n60 shall be divided into 12 lots, as numbered on\nthe within map that the lots 12, 11, 7, 6, 1 and\n3 shall be conveyed to Robert Peter The\npresent lot 808 is the western 26 1/2' of lots 1\nand 3. Lots 1 and 3 ran 93' on Jefferson ; lot\n808 runs 90.5', followed by an alley 4.5' wide.\n1801 Deed October 1, 1801 recorded November 28, 1801 in\nLiber G folio 398\nRobert Peter Sr.\nTo\nJames Thompson\nConveys lots 1 and 3 of the subdivision of 60 and\n61.\n220\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 3)\n1856 Will of James Thompson, Will book 7 folio 397.\nSeptember 25, 1856.\nAll residue of the estate (which includes lots 1\nand 3) to William Henry Esperance Hersant and Mary\nTheresa Henrietta Hersant Melin with power in the\nexecutors Walter H. S. Taylor and H. G. B. Smith\nto sell and convey with their consent.\n1857 Power of Attorney December 16, 1856 recorded July 24,\n1857 in\nLiber JAS 138 folio 202\nGuillaume H. E. Hersant\nMarie T. H. Hersant, wife of Jean S. Melin\n(legatees of James Thompson, their maternal grand-\nfather)\nTo\nWalter H. S. Taylor\nJ. H. B. Smith\nPower to sell etc. all interest of grantors in the\nestate of Thompson.\n1861 Deed September 24, 1857 recorded May 21, 1861 in\nLiber NCT 5 folio 253\nWalter H. S. Taylor\nJonathan H. B. Smith\nTo\nJoseph F. Birch\nConveys lots 1 and 3, i.e. 25'1\" on Bridge Street\n(M Street) and 90 feet to the alley on Thomas\nJefferson Street with use of the alley.\nConsideration $1600.\n1857 Deed in Trust October 1, 1857 recorded November 5,\n1857 in\nLiber JAS 144 folio 132\nJoseph F. Birch\nTo\nWilliam Redin\nTo secure $1066.68. (Release of March 15, 1858 in\nLiber NCT 5 folio 239 recorded May 21, 1863.)\n221\n319-731 O-68-15\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 4)\n1858 Deed in Trust October 19, 1857 recorded January 16,\n1858 in\nLiber JAS 148 folio 17\nJoseph F. Birch et ux Ann E.\nTo\nWalter S. Cox\nHugh Caperton\nTreasurers, Union Bldg. Assn., Georgetown\nTo secure $1000. (Release October 28, 1870 recorded\nNovember 3, 1870 in Liber 625 folio 457)\n1870 Deed in Trust March 2, 1870 recorded the same date in\nLiber 625 folio 490\nJoseph F. Birch\nTo\nWilliam D. Cassin\nFrederick W. Jones\nTreasurer, South Building Association of Georgetown\nRelease: November 4, 1875 in Liber 802, folio 423,\nrecorded November 23, 1875.\n1891 Will of Joseph F. Birch dated August 15, 1891 recorded\nWill Book 29, folio 430 August 28, 1891 (Deed August 19,\n1891).\nOne half of the lot to Isaac Birch, the other half\nto Charles E. and Isaac Birch, trustees, for use of\nGeorge A. Birch for life and on his death to convey\nsame to any child. George A. Birch died leaving\nAlbert G. Birch his only child.\n1904 Deed July 15, 1904 recorded July 15, 1904 in\nLiber 2828 folio 372\nAlbert G. Birch\nTo\nIsaac Birch\n(Gives his share)\nWill of Isaac Birch, filed April 18, 1934, Adminis-\ntration #46,552.\nProperty is good in Bessie Birch Haycock, devisee\nunder will.\n1966 Deed February 25, 1966 recorded March 2, 1966 in\nLiber 12571 folio 579\nBessie Birch Haycock et vir Archer L. Haycock\nTo\nJacqueline Antone\n$140,000 ($154 stamps).\n222\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 5)\n2. Date of erection: Between 1866 and 1871. Assessment\nrecords for 1865-70 (National Archives Microcopy 605,\nGroup 351, roll 12) show that in 1865 the property had\nas improvements, \"frame building and workshop - $1000\".\nA note appended in 1866 indicates that a \" 3 story\nbrick dwelling\" was added. (Assessment figures illegible).\nThe assessment for 1871 (roll 13) p. 8 indicates that lot\n60, property value $1800, (same as in 1865) but improve-\nments are now valued at $5000.\n3. Architect: Unknown.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc.: None known.\n5. Alerations and additions: The main building on M Street\nhas had the lower floor completely altered. Interior of\nboth house and stable/garage have been remodeled.\n6. Important old views: None known.\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. The following information about the Birch funderal estab-\nlishment is from D.C. city directories:\n1860 Joseph F. Birch, undertaker, 65 Bridge Street, h.\n88 Bridge Street - cabinet maker and undertaker\n1862 Isaac Birch, h. 12 2nd Street\n1864 Joseph F. Birch, undertaker, Bridge, corner Jefferson\n1874 Joseph F. Birch, Undertaker, Bidge cor. Jefferson\nh. 88 Bridge Street\n1891 Joseph F. Birch Undertaker, 3034 M Street, N. W.\nh. 3043 M Street, N. W.\n1892 Joseph F. Birch Sons (George A. and Isaac) under-\ntakers.\n1903 Isaac Birch, undertaker\n1904 Joseph F. Birch's Sons, undertakers (Isaac Birch)\n1933 Joseph F. Birch's Sons, undertakers (Isaac Birch,\nArcher L. Haycock) (Archer Haycock married Bessie\nBirch, presumably a sister of Isaac)\n1934 same\n1948 Joseph F. Birch's Sons, (B. Birch Haycock) under-\ntakers\n1965 Joseph F. Birch's Sons, (B. Birch Haycock) funeral\ndirectors\n1967 vacant\n223\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 6)\n2. In the subdivision of lots 60 and 61 in 1799, James Thompson\nowned Lot 61. He had received it the same year from John\nThompson, perhaps his brother. After the division he got\nlots 1 and 3, forming the corner land, from Robert Peter in\n1801. James Thompson was a member of the Georgetown\nColumbia Lodge No. 19, and was Worshipful Master in 1795.\nIn 1796 and 1797 he was Secretary of the same lodge.\nHe died in 1855.\n3. In 1891 Isaac Birch inherited half interest in the funeral\nhome established by his father, and in 1904 received title\nto the entire property. He was apparently active in the\nlocal Masonic Lodge No. 5 just down the street from his\nestablishment. In 1880 he is listed as Junior Warden of\nthat lodge, in 1883 its Worshipful Master, and from 1903\nuntil 1933 was treasurer.\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds,\nDistrict of Columbia.\nBoyd's City Directories.\nAssessment Records, 1800-07 (National Archives).\n2. Secondary and published sources: A Century and a Half\nof Freemasonry in Georgetown 1789-1939, (Georgetown 1939).\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: Contemporary newspaper\naccounts and advertisements; District of Columbia Building\nPermits; further assessment records.\nPrepared by: Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II: ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The Birch Funeral Home has fine\nlate nineteenth century cast iron hood molds, as well\nas a fine metal cornice which give character to a plain\nbrick building.\n2. Condition of fabric: The north facade has been well\nmaintained (although the first floor has been changed)\nbut the other sides are in only fair condition. The\ninterior has been completely remodeled.\n224\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 7)\nB. Description of Exterior\n1. Overall dimensions: The house is rectangular 45'3\"\nby 26'6\" and is attached by a link 4' 6\" wide to the\nstable or carriage house which measures 41'4\" by 26;3\". The\nhouse has a three bay facade, and is three stories tall;\nthe carriage house is two stories.\n2. Foundations: Brick and random rubble foundation walls.\n3. Wall construction: Common bond red brick with headers\nevery six rows. Painted white on the east and north.\nHood molds and trim are white on the west wall.\n4. Framing: The wooden beam structural system rests on load\nbearing brick walls.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: A recently constructed\nconcrete retaining wall forms a narrow areaway on the\neast side of the stable basement. On the west side of\nthe house are 3 or more brick areaways with gray granite\ncopings flush with the sidewalk. (They are heavily overgrown.)\n6. Chimneys: Two small square brick chimneys appear inside\nthe west wall of the house, capped by two rows of brick.\nA small square concrete covered chimney is against the\neast wall of the stable, near the south corner.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The house has a modern 6 panel\ndoor with side lights and fan light on the north\nfacade. At the southern end of the west side is\na 6 panel 2 leaf wooden door (modern) which appears\nto be in an opening formed by cutting down an existing\nwindow to street level. In the stable at the northern\nend of the west side is a 4 panel door (with diagonal\nboarding behind chamfered rails and mullions) with a\none panel light above it, capped with a brick hood\nmold. On the second floor, directly above this doorway,\nis an identical door, but with a three light transom.\nAt the south end of the second floor is a somewhat\nwider two panel two leaf door with diagonal boarding\nwith a one panel light above it, a brick hood mold, and\na wooden sill. Above this doorway is a wooden hoist\nbeam with an iron loop at the end. There are three\nlarge entrance doors on the first floor, under a\nflat fascia capped by a cyma recta molding. The\ntwo northern doors are central hinged, with two X\npanels each leaf with vertical boarding 1 3/4\" wide\n225\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 8)\nwith one bead. Both have six light transoms with modern\nglass. The third (southern) doorway is a modern roll\nup type garage door of 24 panels, 6 of which are glass,\nunder a 7 pane transom. The link between house and\nstable has a 6 panel modern door on the first floor.\nb. Windows and shutters: On the north facade of the\nhouse are 2/2 double hung sash windows on the second\nand third floors, with wooden panels below those on\nthe second floor reaching to floor level sills. These\nwindows are capped with ornate cast iron hood molds and\non the third floor have cast iron sills on two consoles.\nThe first floor has three large modern 15 light windows.\nOn the west side, the second and third floors have\n2/2 sash windows with flat caps of cast iron in a\nminiature acanthus-decorated cornice. The sills are\nalso cast iron but undecorated. There are no windows\non the first floor as the northern two have been bricked\nup (caps and sills remain) and the southern one trans-\nformed into a doorway. In the gable end is a two panel\nlouvered attic lunette. The stable has one small\nwindow at the north end of the west side next to the\ndoorway; this window is now sealed with a plain 4\npanel solid shutter. On the second floor are three\nwindows, all 2/2 sash with wooden frames painted white,\na segmental arch in brick over each, and a wooden\nsill. On the east side, first floor, is a triple window\n(two 2 light casement windows, each under a segmental\narch, flank a 3 light central window under a flat arch);\na small 3/3 square window in the center; and at the\nnorth end a 6/6 sash window under a segmental arch.\nOn the second floor, is a square louvered opening under\na segmental arch with a wood sill and three 6/6 sash\nwindows under segmental arches with wooden sills. At\nground level in the south wall near the east corner is\na segmental arch cellar window, now bricked up. The\nlink has a 2/2 sash window on the west side and on the\neast a 6/6 sash window. Shutter pintles are still found\non the west side of the house, but no shutters.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The built up roof of the carriage house\nor stable is of single slope from west to east.\nb. Cornice, eaves: A pressed metal Corintian cornice crowns\nthe north facade of the house with two terminal consoles\ndecorated with palmettes. The stable cornice (west side)\nis composed of a pressed metal cyma recta molding supported\non a row of chamfered brackets; at the ends are large\n226\nBIRCH FUNERAL HOME\nHABS No. DC-142 (Page 9)\nchamfered consoles. Five perforated breather plates\noccur in the frieze. On the east wall of the stable\na simple cornice is composed of three courses of cor-\nbeled stretcher rows with a metal cap.\nc. Dormers, cupolas, towers: In the middle of the roof\nare two metal ventilation and skylight towers with gable\nroofs; one contains six and the other four translucent\nlights. A kitchen and toilet with a porch enclosed in\nclapboarding rest on the north end of the roof. They\nare part of the link to which the stable is attached.\nC. Description of Interior: After years of alterations, virtually\nnothing remains of the original interior. Along the north wall\nof the house are a straight run of stairs; 9 1/4\" treads and\n8 1/2\" risers. Flooring is wood and concrete. Old steel bolt\nlocks appear on several doors. The lighting is incandescent.\nHeating is through steam radiators. One old cast iron stove\n(1877) is located on the second floor.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The house and stable are\nlocated on the east side of Thomas Jefferson St. at the corner\nof M Street, a block north of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.\nTo its south is a new apartment building (1967), and to\nthe east is a used car lot. Thomas Jefferson St. contains\nmany fine old residential structures.\n2. Enclosures: None.\n3. Outbuildings: None. The stable is now attached to the\nhouse by a wooden addition about 4 1/2' wide.\n4. Walks: The two structures abut a red brick herringbone public\nwalk, lined with trees on the west, and an asphalted alley on\nthe south.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nand\nDaniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nThe Commission of Fine Arts\nJuly, 1968\n227\n228\nBirch Funeral Home\nBirch stable/garage\n3034 M Street\non Thomas Jefferson Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nphoto: Daniel D. Reiff, 1968\nFEDERAL/VICTORIAN HOUSE PAIR\n1066-1068 31st Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE District of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\nSTREET NO. 1066-1068 31st\n2. NAME Federal/Victorian house pair\nEarly 19th century with\nORIGINAL OWNER uncertain\nDATE OR PERIOD\nlater 19th century facade.\nORIGINAL\nUSE\nresidences\nSTYLE\nBracketed\n1066-George C Schnitzer;\nARCHITECT\nunknown\nPRESENT\nOWNER\n1068-Edwin Davis Builder Inc\nBUILDER\nuncertain\nPRESENT USE 1066-residence; 1068-office\nWALL CONSTRUCTION wood\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES 2 1/2 with basement\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC No.\n1066 and 1068 31st St. are a good example of early 19th century domestic archi-\ntecture, \"updated\" with a later 19th century facade. The north-south gable roof\ncovered in metal has two symmetrically placed dormers on each slope (one per\nhouse). Each gable dormer has two three light casement windows. Two brick\nchimneys straddle the ridge.\nA continuous cyma recta molded metal gutter projects above a repetitive modillion\nand bracket support-course crowning the six bay eastwall. The walls are clap-\nboarding painted green in the south and gray in north apartment. Six over six\ndouble hung wooden windows are flanked by dark green double panel fixed louver\nshutters on the east elevation. Heavy plain wooden projecting cornices crown\nthe doors and windows on the east; the cornices above the doors have triple\nmodillions and double bracket supports. The south unit's entrance is located\nnear the south corner on the east side and consists of a six panel wooden door\nunder a triple light transom. The north unit has a center entrance with a lar-\nger six panel wooden door. Brick stoops lead up to each entrance.\nAll windows are similar to the east side; however, on the north and west the\nshutters are usually missing and there are no caps over the windows. A simple\ncurved metal gutter is found at the eave on the west side.\nThe interiors have been remodeled to such an extent that little of the original\nremains.\nTo the east is a red brick basket weave walk; to the west are brick paved courts.\nSurrounding the duplex are old commercial structures; and numerous trees.\nGood, though\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered\nltered\nExterior Fair\nalley\n1068\n1066\n31st Street\nZ\nC & O Canal\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nDATE OF RECORD\n231\nFederal/Victorian House Pair\n1066-1068 31st Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n232\nPOTOMAC MANUFACTURING CO.\n1050 Potomac Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE District of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington\nVICINITY\nGeorgetown\n1050 Potomac\n2. NAME\nSTREET NO.\nPotomac Manufacturing Co.\nDATE OR PERIOD\nORIGINAL OWNER\nUnknown\nbefore 1887\nSTYLE\nORIGINAL USE\nProbably residential\nVictorian bracketed\nARCHITECT\nPRESENT OWNER\nJoseph Poinelli\nUnknown\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nCabinet makers\nUnknown\nWALL CONSTRUCTION\nCommon bond 1/8 red brick FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES\nTwo with basement\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nThis building is indicated on the 1887 Hopkins Atlas.\nCrowning the facade (east elevation) is a wooden cornice with brackets\nseparating the five bays and terminal brackets rising through the\ncrowning metal gutter. Between each bracket are four modillions above\na straight festoon in the frieze. The south parapet wall has a double\ncourse brick coping with two brick chimneys capped with projecting\nconcrete strips.\nRaised brick hood molds, which terminate on the sides in single headers,\nenclose the segmental arches which cover the two over two double hung\nwooden windows on the facade. The cornice, doorway, base strip, and\nfirst floor hood molds are all painted flat black and contrast with\nthe common bond brick facade wall which is painted yellow. A garish\ngreen paint has been used about the modern unpaneled wooden door and in\nthe over panel.\nThe interior, though greatly altered, has some original parts, such as:\nwooden floor joists, rubble and brick foundation, turned wooden balusters\nand newels, carved picture and ceiling moldings, and well carved wooden\nmantels.\nTo the rear is attached a wooden lean-to. The east elevation abuts a\ncommon bond red brick walk and faces the old Georgetown Market.\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No Interior Poor\nExteriar\nGood\n1050\nMarket\nPotomac\nPotomac\nim\nC&O Canal\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan (ptional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Poges)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nDATE OF RECORD\n235\nmow\nPotomac Manufacturing Co.\n1050 Potomac Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n236\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\n1018 29th Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n319-731 O-68 16\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-168\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nLocation :\n1018 29th Street N.W., (Georgetown) Washington, D.C.,\nwest side of street, southern most of 8 identical\nrow houses.\nPresent owner:\nMiss Elinor P. Burns\nPresent Occupant: Mr. and Mrs. David Schoenbrod\nPresent Use:\nResidence\nStatement of\nAn attractive example of a type of multiple dwelling\nSignificance:\ncommon in the late 19th century. Several groups of\nrow houses are found in this area.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incom-\nplete chain of title to the land on which the row house\nstands. The site is in Square 1192, lot 74 (of lots 74\nto 67 inclusive) (Old Square 22, lots 36, 58, 59), in Deakins,\nLee and Casanave's Addition to Georgetown. The references\nare to the Recorder of Deeds, District of Columbia.\n1809 Deed May 5, 1809 recorded May 10, 1809 in\nLiber V folio 416\nWilliam Brent\nThomas Sim Lee\nTo\nJohn Hoye\nLeonard M. Deakins\n58 and 59 are but two of 32 lots that are here trans-\nferred.\n1810 Tax deed May 24, 1810 recorded July 25, 1810 in\nLiber Y folio 391\nJacob Mountz\nCol. of taxes for Corp. of Georgetown\nTo\nGeorge Johnson\nLots 30, 58, 59, 61 and part of 29 charged to Wm.\nDeakins' heirs conveyed to Johnson.\n1810 Deed July 24, 1810 recorded July 26, 1810 in\nLiber Y folio 399\n239\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 2)\nGeorge Johnson\nTo\nJohn Hoye\n1813 Deed November 13, 1813 recorded November 22, 1813 in\nLiber AF folio 442\nThomas Sim Lee\nTo\nLeonard M. Deakins\nJohn Hoye\nTenants in common.\n1833 Tax deed February 27, 1833 recorded February 27, 1833 in\nLiber WB folio 42/77\nJohn Cox, Mayor of Georgetown\nTo\nJohn Hoye\n1836 Deed July 16, 1836 recorded July 16, 1836 in\nLiber WB folio 59/5\nJohn A. Smith Jr.\nTo\nJohn Hoye\n1849 Will of John Hoye dated March 2nd 1849 probated June 12, 18\nWill book 16, folio 267\n\"To my friend George Smith and my nephew Edward Hoye and\nthe survivors of them\nI give and devise all the rest\nand residue of my property real personal and mixed in\ntrust to be sold by them or either of them\n...\nas soon\nas practicable after my decease\" to pay debts, etc.\n1853 Deed March 18, 1853 recorded April 27, 1853 in\nLiber JAS folio 54/390\nGeorge Smith (of Alexandria)\nexecutor of will of John Hoye\nTo\nFrancis Wheatley\nThis included lots 51, 52, 58 and 59.\n1858 Deed in Trust April 16, 1858 recorded June 14, 1858 in\nLiber JAS, folio 56/301\nFrancis Wheatley et ux Caroline\nTo\nWalter S. Cox\nHugh Caperton, trustees\nLots 51, 52, 58 and 59.\n1859 Deed in Trust December 22, 1850 recorded March 8, 1859 in\nLiber JAS folio 170/249\n240\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 3)\nFrancis Wheatley et ux Caroline\nTo\nWalter S. Cox\nHugh Caperton, trustees\nLots 51, 52, 58 and 59.\n1883 Will of Francis Wheatley\nJuly 26, 1878, codical March 18, 1880, probated November\n2, 1883\nWill book 21, folio 34\nInstructs the \"equal distribution\" of his estate.\n1884 Subdivisions of lots 36, 58, 59 in the Deakins, Lee and\nCasanave's addition as recorded in Liber A.R.S. folio\n137 at the records of the Office of the Surveyor of\nDistrict of Columbia, into sub-lots 62-74. Made by\nexecutors of Francis Wheatley June 28, 1884.\n1884 Deed in Trust September 4, 1884 recorded September 11, 1184 in\nLiber 1098 folio 64\nCharles Wheatley\nSamuel E. Wheatley\nWalter T. Wheatley\nExecutors of Francis Wheatley\nand\nCharles Wheatley\nSamuel E. Wheatley et ux Virginia R.\nWalter T. Wheatley et ux Minnie D.\nWilliam Wheatley et ux Tannie G.\nMartha U. C. Taylor\nMarion W. McCullough et vir Allen A.\nTo\nWilliam A. Gordon, Jr.\nLots 63, 64, and 65.\n1884 Deed September 11, 1884 recorded September 11, 1884 in\nLiber 1098 folio 74\nWilliam A. Gordon Jr.\nTo\nCharles Wheatley\nSamuel E. Wheatley\nWalter T. Wheatley\nWilliam Wheatley\nTenants in common\nConveys 63, 64 and 65 as above.\n1884 Deed September 11; 1884 recorded September 11, 1884 in\nLiber 1098 folio 80\nWilliam A. Gordon\nTo\nMarion W. McCullough\n241\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 4)\nLots 62, 66 and 74.\nGrantor conveys as trustee under deed from Charles\nWheatley and other September 4, 1884.\n1905 Deed October 25, 1905 recorded October 28, 1905 in\nLiber 2880 folio 180\nMarion W. McCullough, widow\nTo\nSamuel Artz\n1907 Deed January 9, 1907 recorded January 9, 1907 in\nLiber 3029 folio 395\nSamuel Artz et ux Emma J.\nTo\nS. Norris Thorne\n1910 Will of S. Norris Thorne dated April 25, 1910\nprobated June 27, 1910\nWill book 74, folio 82.\n1912 Deed recorded June 181912 in\nLiber 3532 folio 483\nMary B. Thorne, widow\nRachel V. Thorne et vir Joshua S.\nJoel Edgar Thorne et ux Lydia\nRichard Hamilton Thorne et ux Frances J.\ndevisees of S. Norris Thorne\nand\nAmerican Security & Trust Co.\nD.C. Corp. trustee under will\nTo\nGeorgie Taylor\nConsideration $1,000.\n1912 Deed August 21, 1912 recorded August 23, 1912 in\nLiber 3550 folio 452\nGeorgie Taylor, widow\nTo\nWalter T. Wheatley\nLot 73, consideration $10.\n1919 Will of Walter T. Wheatley dated July 8, 1902\nProbated November 17, 1919\nWill book 100, p. 482\nGives property to Minnie D. Wheatley\n1943 Will of Minnie D. Wheatley dated June 9, 1933\nProbated June 5, 1943\nWill book 307 folio 562\nLeft, among other property, lots 72, 73 and 74,\n242\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 5)\nSquare 1192, improved by premises 1018, 1020, 1022,\n29th St., N.W. for a total approx. value $4,500.\n(Administration #60, 866, filed November 10, 1942.)\n1944 Deed in Trust March 24, 1944 recorded April 7, 1944 in\nLiber 7956 folio 420\nKatherine Dougal, devisee under will of Minnie D. Wheatley, etc\nTo\nM. W. Kennedy as trustee\nLots 62, 72, 73 and 74.\n1944 Deed in Trust March 29, 1944 recorded April 7, 1944 in\nLiber 7956 folio 421\nM. W. Kennedy\n(acting pursuant to the authority vested in her by\na Deed in Trust from Katherine Dougal, devisee under\nthe will of Minnie Wheatley...\nTo\nJesse W. Rawlings\nDonald S. Nash\n1945 Deed July 27, 1944 recorded December 28, 1945 in\nLiber 8199 folio 598\nM. Walker Kennedy\nTo\nFrances G. Ticer\nIncluding lots 67-74 and 62.\n1945 Deed December 4, 1945 recorded December 28 1945 in\nLiber 8199 folio 599\nFrances G. Ticer\nTo\nWilliam Kibler\n1945 Deed in Trust December 8, 1945 recorded December 28, 1945 in\nLiber 8199 folio 600\nWilliam Kibler\nTo\nPaul A. Magoffin\nRoy G. Fristoe\n1947 Release January 9, 1947 recorded February 28, 1947 in\nLiber 8434 folio 307\nPaul P. Magoffin\nRoy G. Fristoe\nTo\nWilliam Kibler\n1948 Deed February 13, 1948 recorded February 18, 1948 in\nLiber 8685 folio 505\n243\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 6)\nWilliam Kibler\nTo\nGeorgia Regn\n1949 Deed December 15, 1949 recorded December 20, 1949 in\nLiber 9111 folio 11\nGeorgia Regn Briggs\n(previously Georgia Regn)\nTo\nRichard P. Baxter\n1951 Deed January 8, 1951 recorded January 12, 1951 in\nLiber 9383 folio 625\nRichard P. Baxter\nTo\nPeggy Pryce\n1953 Deed February 26, 1953 recorded March 5, 1953 in\nLiber 9911 folio 93\nPeggy Pryce\nTo\nEugene H. Clay et ux\n1953 Deed February 27, 1953 recorded March 5, 1953 in\nLiber 9911 folio 103\nEugene H. Clay et ux\nTo\nSamuel R. Gillman\n1953 Deed February 27, 1953 recorded March 5, 1953 in\nLiber 9911 folio 105\nSamuel R. Gillman\nTo\nMargueritta Clay\n1955 Deed May 4, 1955 recorded May 9, 1955 in\nLiber 10422 folio 575\nMargueritta Clay\nTo\nPeggy M. Pryce\n1959 Deed January 31, 1959 recorded March 20, 1959 in\nLiber 11209 folio 538\nMargaret Eguiguren et al\n(heirs of Peggy M. Pryce)\nTo\nElizabeth W. Bell\n1959 Deed March 2, 1959 recorded March 20, 1959 in\nLiber 11209 folio 540\n244\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 7)\nElizabeth W. Bell\nTo\nRobert D. Barton et ux\n2. Date of erection: Between 1884 and 1887. The subdivision\noccurs in 1884 (Liber ARS folio 137) and the houses are shown\non the 1887 Hopkins Real Estate Atlas.\n3. Architect: Not known.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: The interior was completely\nremodeled in 1946.\n6. Important old views: None.\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. Early owners of the land:\nLeonard M. Deakins was the brother of Col. William Deakins\nJr., an important local landowner. Colonel Deakins was a\nnotable figure of the late eighteenth century. During the\nrevolution, William Deakins Jr. had risen to Colonel, and\nlater had taken part in the laying out of the new Federal\nCity. In 1790 he was one of the signers of a letter to\nWashington regarding the sale of land for the city. \"In\n1791 Major Stoddert and William Deakins, junior, were in\nfrequent confidential correspondence with President Washing-\nton about the purchase of land for the proposed site of\nWashington City. The President relied upon them to nego-\ntiate privately the purchase of blocks on important sites\nat a price lower than the Government could command.\" (Harold\nDonaldson Eberlein and Cortland Van Dyke Hubbard, Historic\nHouses of George-Town and Washington City, Richmond, the\nDietz Press, 1958, p. 24).\nGeorge Washington's observations on Colonel Deakins are\nsignificant in this light. Writing from Philadelphia on\nMarch 8, 1792 he says: \"Altho' what I am going to add may\nbe a calumny it is necessary that you should be apprized\nof the report that Colo. Deakins applies the public money\nin his hands to speculative purposes; and is unable, at\ntimes, to answer the call of the workmen. An instance has\nbeen given.\" (Records of the Columbia Historical Society,\nV. 17, p. 53.)\n\"When the Bank of Columbia, chartered by the Maryland\nLegislature in December 1793, was organized for the special\n245\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 8)\npurpose of handling the paper both of the City Commissioners,\nand of the buyers of city lots, Stoddert was one of the\nincorporators along with William Deakins, junior, Uriah\nForrest, John Mason, Maccubin Lingan, William B. Magruder\nand Thomas Peter.\" (Eberlein and Hubbard, p. 25). Col.\nDeakins was also a member of the Episcopal Church, and was\none of the first vestrymen of the Washington parish of the\nchurch near the Navy Yard. In 1796 he gave the lot in\nGeorgetown then being solicited for a building site for the\nProtestant Episcopal Church (Richard P. Jackson, The Chron-\nicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-1878, Washington, D.C.,\nR. 0. Polkinhorn, 1878, p. 166). He died on March 3rd,\n1798, and the inscription on his tomb in Rock Creek cemetary\nreads: \"In his death his family have lost an unshaken friend\nand a bright example of philanthropy, the poor a liberal\nbenefactor, the distressed of every class a willing helper,\nSociety one of her illustrious ornaments, and George Town\nby the blow has lost her most illustrious Patron.\" (CHS\nV. 21, p. 143.)\nAs can be seen in the 1809 deed (Liber V, folio 416), Thomas\nSim Lee owned a considerable amount of property in Georgetown.\nSome of his holdings were incorporated in the Deakins, Lee\nand Casanove Addition to Georgetown. In the Dictionary\nof National Biography, 1931 (vol. XI, p. 132) we find an\naccount of his life. In brief, he was born October 29, 1745\nin Prince George's County, Maryland. In 1777 he began his\nlong career of political service as a member of the provin-\ncial council, and in November 1799 he became governor of\nMaryland. He carried out this office with ability, and was\nan important patriot, and aid to Washington during the Revo-\nlution. In 1783 he became a delegate to the Continental\nCongress, and in 1792 was recalled as Governor of Maryland.\nWhen he retired in 1794, he established a winter residence\nin Georgetown and was socially active. He died November 9,\n1819.\nTo this it might be added that he was among the first twenty-\nthree Justices of the Peace for the county of Washington\nthat were appointed by President John Adams on March 3rd,\n1801 (CHS, V. 5, p. 259). This continuing concern with public\noffice is seen in the letter that George Washington sent\nhim on July 25, 1794 asking him to be one of the commissioners\nof the Federal City. (CHS V. 17, p. 106-107.)\nAssessment records for 1800-07 give details on his wealth\n(Microcopy 605, group 351, roll 7):\n4 1/2 lots on Washington and Bridge Street\nwith the improvement of your dwelling\n5000\n1 lot in Beattys Addition on Dumbarton and\nWashington Streets\n200\n246\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 9)\n4 lots on West and Washington Streets\n800\n1 Square of 12 lots between Green and Mont-\ngovery, West and Back Streets\n2000\n1/3 of the property between \"Deakins Estate,\nCasenave Estate and your self, 69 lots\"\n3000\n5 lots in the slip [?] between Beall's [?]\nand Beatty E Hawkins Addn\n600\n2 negroe men\n280\n2 do. boys\n240\n3 do. women\n300\n2 do. girls\n120\n3 do. children\n80\n3 horses and coach and sulky\n500\n2 COWS\n24\nfurniture\n800\n$ 13,944\nThe next assessment during this period totaled his wealth\nat $16,265.\nPeter Casenave (variously spelled) was born in Spain, and\ncame to Georgetown, where he was a successful merchant.\nA Mason, he became Worshipful Master of Georgetown's Lodge\nNo. 9 in 1792 and in 1794 was elected fifth mayor of George-\ntown. The Deakins, Lee and Casanove Addition to Georgetown\nis to the southeast of the original plot of 1751. In the\nGeorgetown assessment records of 1800-07 (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, group 351, roll 7) contains the following\nentry:\nPeter Casanave Heirs\nHouse and warfe on Water [K] Street\n3000\n3 lots in Washington, Dumbarton, Gay St.\n400\n$ 3400\nWilliam Brent was born in Aquia, Stafford Co., Pennsylvania\nin 1775. As the deed of 1809 (Liber V folio 416) shows, he\nheld considerable amounts of land in Georgetown in the early\n19th century. He was among the first thirteen trustees for\nthe Federal City Public School system that was established\nby the city council December 5, 1804. Thomas Jefferson was\nthe first president of the board, elected August 14, 1805.\nThe name of William Brent also appears among the seven\nManagers of the National Lottery (\"by authority of congress\")\nissued in February, 1821 in Washington (CHS, V. 22, p. 85).\nThis lottery was to raise funds to erect two public school-\nhouses, a penetentiary, and a Town Hall, with the highest\nprize of $100,000. He died in Washington, December 15, 1848.\n2. Francis Wheatley:\n247\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 10)\n\"Francis Wheatley was co-founder of a substantial lumber\nbusiness, (first Wheatley & Walker; then Francis Wheatley),\noffice 37 Water Street (3034 K St., N.W.), and became a\nleading citizen. One of his sons, Samuel E., was a District\nCommissioner, 1886-1889. A biographical sketch of Samuel\nrefers to his family as \"one of the oldest and best known\nin the District.\" The sons carried on the lumber business\nas Wheatley Bros. until about 1903.\" (from HABS No. DC-114.)\nThe double house that he built at 3060-3062 M Street N.W.\nabout 1871 still stands today. (HABS No. DC-114.) Walter\nT. Wheatley was Senior Warden of the Potomac Lodge No. 5 in\n1874.\n3. Washington directories provide the following tenant infor-\nmation for 1018 29th St.\n1915\nAlethea A. Johnson, dressmaker\n1917-19 Isabel C. Butler\n1921-25\nAllen Jackson\n1927-29 Carrie Barnes (Mrs.)\n1931\nvacant\n1933\nBessie Murry\n1935\nWilliam Cradle\n1937-39\n:Mrs. Mary M. Hawkins\n1941\nCharles Fields\n1943\nC. Thomas Fields\n1948\nvacant\n1954-56\nEugene H. Clay (owner)\n1960\nvacant\n1962-67 Margaret MacKinnon\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\nGeorgetown Assessment records, National Archives (Microcopy\n605, group 351).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Records of the Columbia\nHistorical Society.\nRichard P. Jackson, The Chronicles of Georgetown, D.C., 1751-\n1878, Washington, D.C., R. O. Polkinhorn, 1878.\nDictionary of National Biography, 1931, vol. XI.\nWashington city directories.\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: D.C. Building Permits.\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n248\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 11)\nPART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: 1018 29th Street presents an excellent\nexample of one unit in a late 19th century row house complex.\n2. Condition of fabric: The structure is well-maintained and has\nbeen unaltered externally. The interior was remodeled extensively\nin 1946.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: A narrow rectangle in plan, 12' 4\" by\n28' 0\". Two bay facade and rear; two stories, with sunken\nbasement exposed in rear.\n2. Foundation: Brick to grade.\n3. Wall construction: Wall composed of red brick in common bond\n(headers every eight rows); painted beige on the east elevation.\nOn this facade the embellishments have been painted darker.\nParty walls are shared on both the north and south. The west\nwall has similar bond to the east but is not painted.\n4. Framing: Load bearing brick walls with wooden framing.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc: On the east side, two basement\nwindows have brick areaways. At the front door is a red brick\nplatform with two steps.\n6. Chimneys: Two small common bond red brick chimneys with terra\ncotta flues are located inside the south party wall.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: A chamfered wooden frame supporting\nan ornate cornice piece encloses a six panel wooden door,\nwith a modern wooden screen door. The cornice rests on\ntwo incised wooden consoles which terminate in palmettes.\nA row of raised palmettes occupy the upper part of the\nfrieze above an attached modern metal eagle. A 15 light\nwooden frame basement door with aluminum screen door appears\nat the basement level on the west side.\nb. Windows and shutters: On the east elevation, double panel\nfixed louver shutters, painted dark beige, flank six-six\ndouble hung wooden windows. The opening is crowned by a\nwooden lintel with cyma recta top molding capped with\n249\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 12)\nmetal flashing. The west elevation contains similar\nwindows with flat brick arches but no shutters. All\nwindows have wooden sills.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: The roof is low pitched, sloping from\neast to west, with unknown covering.\nb. Cornice, eaves: A projecting wood and metal cornice crowns\nthe facade (east elevation). In the frieze occur a row\nof raised wooden Greek-like crosses above two symmetrically\nplaced raised perforated rosettes. Terminal consoles rise\nthrough the capping element and descend to incised palmettes\nresting on the brick wall. The west elevation is crowned\nwith two projecting brick courses and a protruding curved\nmetal gutter.\nC. Dormers, cupolas, towers: None.\nC. Detailed Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans: Remodeling has changed the original arrangement;\nat present it consists of:\na. Basement: Front half is now the kitchen, with a toilet/\nstorage room. Rear half is the dining room with stairs\nto all floors in the southwest corner.\nb. First floor: Entirely open as one room; a fireplace is\nnear the middle of the south wall.\nC. Second floor: A front and back bedroom are separated by\na bathroom and hall.\n2. Stairways: Stairs with winders occur in the southwest corner\nwith 14 risers ascending to the second floor and 13 descending\nto the basement, with carved newels and handrails.\n3. Flooring: Modern hardwood.\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.\n5. Doorways and doors: Modern doors with surrounding simple molded\narchitraves.\n6. Decorative features and trim: Architraves occur about the door\nand windows; there are simple wooden mantels, and simple ceiling\nand base moldings.\n250\nWHEATLEY ROW HOUSE\nHABS No. DC-168 (Page 13)\n7. Notable hardware: None.\n8. Lighting, type of fixtures: Modern incandescent.\n9. Heating: Gas heated hot air blower system. Fireplaces are\noperable.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: This is one of eight identical\nrow houses located on the west side of 29th Street between\nthe Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and K Street. The facade faces\neast. At present this row is surrounded by commercial and\nindustrial activities.\n2. Enclosures: A twisted wrought fence abuts the front walk and\nencloses the basement areaway on the east side. The rear\ncourt is surrounded by a vertically boarded fence.\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: Public walk in front of common bond red brick.\n5. Landscaping: A split level red common bond brick and stone\npaved court in the rear is surrounded by evergreens, apple\ntrees, and roses.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\n251\nWheatley Row House\n1018 29th Street\nphotos: George Eisenman, 1967\n252\nNORTH\nUP\n14\n13\nD.R.\nBR..\nLNING\nON\nI\nTOILET\nROOM\nT.\n++\nSTORACES\nK\nBR.\nPASEMENT\nFIRST\nSECOND.\nWheatley Row House\n1018 29th Street\nsketch plans\n253\n319-731 O-68-17\nROW HOUSES\n1058-1066 30th Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE\nDistrict of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\nSTREET NO. 1058-1066 30th Street, N.W.\n2. NAME Row Houses\nORIGINAL OWNER Unknown\nDATE OR PERIOD 1880's\nORIGINAL USE\nResidences\nSTYLE Victorian brick vernacular\nPRESENT OWNER Various\nARCHITECT\nUnknown\nResidences\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nUnknown\nWALL CONSTRUCTION Common bond irregular\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES 2 with basements\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nOn the 1887 Hopkins Atlas this row is listed as owned by \"McGowan and Shinn\".\nA strong projecting cyma recta cornice of pressed metal above a wooden box\nfascia has articulated brackets which divide the cornice at each house. Walls\nare of common bond red brick with irregular header courses. A triple row\nstring course is continuous on the east side at the first floor level. This\nwell handled row house complex of the 19th Century has a variety frontispieces;\ntwo broken pédiments of wood, painted white, which differ slightly in decora-\ntion; two squared architraves, one with fleur-de-lis in the frieze and the other\nwith swags, have applied decorative supporting consoles; one incised fan shaped\nwooden overdoor. All of the entrances have some type of carved jambs. Red\nbrick stoops lead up to the entranceways. All windows on the first and second\nfloors of the east elevation have wooden articulated cornice overwindows except\nthose in the southernmost house which are brick segmental arches. The areaways\non the east side are topped with wooden iron balustrades.\nInteriors have been completely changed.\nSurrounding the multicolored rowhouses is a variety of foliage--ivy, geraniums,\netc. A tree lined brick walk is on the east. To the south is a canal tour-\nboat landing of red brick built by the National Park Service.\nFor historical data on early owners of this land see HABS No. DC-168.\nGood but\nGood but\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No\nInterior altered\nExterior altered\nM Street\n1063\n1058\nC&O\n30th Street\nCanal\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD September, 1967\n257\nRow Houses\n1058-1066 30th Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n258\nROW HOUSES\n3221-3202 Cherry Hill\n1033-1043 Cecil Place\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE District of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\n2. NAME\nSTREET NO. 1021-1043 Cecil Place, N.W.\nCherryhill\n1031-1037 & 3203-3221 Cherryhill\nabout 1890\nDATE OR PERIOD\nORIGINAL OWNER Unknown\nLane, N.W.\nSTYLE\nORIGINAL\nUSE\nVictorian brick vernacular\nResidences\nARCHITECT\nPRESENT OWNER Various\nunknown\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nunknown\nResidences\nWALL CONSTRUCTION 1/8 common bond brick\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES\n2 with exposed basement\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nA dozen two bay row houses are stepped down the hill on Cecil Place from\nGrace Street to Cherryhill Lane, and from Cherryhill Lane toward K Street.\nThe remaining 14 of the 26 Cherryhill row houses flank Cherryhill Lane on\nthe north and west and have continuous cornices. They are well maintained\nwith fine details, such as: brick segmental arches, molded metal and\ncorbeled brick denticulated cornices, corbeled brick separating and ter-\nminal brackets, double panel fixed louver shutters, and various wooden\ncasement and fixed windows.\nThe 12' X 24' houses have been individually altered, adding a diversity to\nthe complex. At least one owner (3211-3213 Cherryhill) has removed the\nparty wall inside. Load bearing walls of common bond red brick with headers\nevery eight rows support wood framing throughout. The interior layout\noriginally was divided on both floors by staircases with winders. As the\nlevels change some of the houses gain basements while others just have crawl\nspaces.\nTo the rear of each is a small walled court. The Cherryhill rowhouses are a\npleasant adjunct to the busy industrial waterfront district; until the houses\nwere restored about 1950, however, the area was a notorious slum.\ngood but\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No Interior altered\nExterior good\nGrace Street\n1043\n3221\n3203\n1037\n1033\n1031\nCecil Place\nCherryhill\n1031\n1021\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Authar, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD September, 1967\n261\n262\nRow Houses\nRow Houses\n3221-3202 Cherry Hill\n1033-1043 Cecil Place\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nLIBBY ROW HOUSES\n1021-1037 30th Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE District of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN Washington VICINITY Georgetown\nSTREET NO. 1021 1037 30th Street, N.W.\n2. NAME\nLibby Row Houses\nDATE OR PERIOD\nORIGINAL OWNER probably J. and J.E. Libby\nabout 1890\nSTYLE\nORIGINAL USE Residences\nVictorian brick vernacular\nARCHITECT\nPRESENT OWNER various\nunknown\nBUILDER\nPRESENT USE\nResidences\nunknown\nWALL CONSTRUCTION 1/7 Common bond brick\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nNO. OF STORIES\nTwo, and basement\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nRemodeled in 1958, this multi-colored rowhouse group presents interesting\nfenestration on the west side. Alterations have changed some, but most\nretain the segmental arches over the windows. Many of the frontispieces\nhave round arches with wooden fan-like decorations over the doorways and\nfluted wooden pilaster strips at the sides. Paired nine/nine and single\nsix/six double hung wooden windows (except when altered) occur on the\nfirst and second floors, respectively. Flanking these are double panel\nfixed louver shutters. Two interesting features of the rowhouses are the\nwell handled cornice and wrought iron fence. The heavily corbeled brick\ncornice contains a dog-tooth row of vertical stretchers below a pressed\nmetal crown. The cornice breaks in the middle where the row adjusts to\nthe descent in the grade. The brick entrance stoops have intricately\ncurled and bent wrought iron balustrades.\nThe houses are rectangular in shape with three story ells on the rear\ncontaining most of the utilities. The stairways, perpendicular to the\nside walls, divide the main part of the house into two rooms. The re-\nmodeling has been so extensive that most of the original work is lost.\nThe row has a tree lined brick walk on the west. Commercial enterprises\nisolate this group from other residential sections of the waterfront.\nFor historical data on early owners of this land see HABS No. D.C.-168.\nOn the Hopkins Atlas of 1887 the vacant lots on which these houses were\nlater built were owned by Joseph and J. E. Libby.\nGood but\nGood but\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered No Interior altered\nExterior altered\nC & O\nCanal\n30th Street\n1037\n1021\nK Street\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nDATE OF RECORD\n265\nLibby Row Houses\n1021-1037 30th Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n266\nWASHINGTON CANOE CLUB\nwest end of K Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\n1. STATE\nDistrict of Columbia\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY\nCOUNTY\nINVENTORY\nTOWN\nWashington\nVICINITY\nGeorgetown\n2. NAME\nWashington Canoe Club\nSTREET NO.\nWest end of K St. extended\nDATE OR PERIOD\nabout 1890\nORIGINAL OWNER\nWashington Canoe Club\nSTYLE\nShingle Style\nORIGINAL USE\nCanoe Club\nARCHITECT\nunknown\nPRESENT OWNER\nSame\nBUILDER\nunknown\nPRESENT USE\nSame\nWALL CONSTRUCTION\n3. FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS USE\nWooden stud walls\nNO. OF STORIES\n2 with twin 3 story turrets\n4. NOTABLE FEATURES, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND DESCRIPTION\nOPEN TO PUBLIC\nNo\nThe Washington Canoe Club is representative of the unpretentious Shingle\nStyle of the late 19th Century. It was built about 1890; on the 1887\nHopkins Atlas its present site was occupied by a smaller structure, and\nthe Canoe Club was located at the foot of Wisconsin Avenue (3134 K Street.)\nTwo, three story octagonal turrets flank the main hipped roof portion and\nare connected by a projecting second floor porch. This has a solid shingled\nbalustrade and is supported by brackets and posts. Recessed on the second\nfloor level are the mens' dressing room (west), and lounge (east), and the\nball room (central). The ball room is behind the central gable with a\npointed arch bargeboard on the south side, and crowned by a louvered tower.\nInside the ballroom on the east and west are columns and built-in benches.\nThe columns support the hipped ceiling. At the northerd is a brick fire-\nplace, and at the south there is a wooden band stand. Below the porch are\na storage area (west) and an office/lounge (east). To the east is attached\na one story storage structure with a second floor dressing room in the rear.\nThe exterior stud walls are veneered in painted green shingles with white\ntrim. Six/six double hung wood windows and twin eight/eight casement\nwindows make up the fenestration.\nThe interior is modest with simple moldings and ornamentation.\nBecause of the light contruction and numerous floods, the Canoe Club has\nsettled, warped and buckled. To the rear is a railroad track behind which\nis the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The Canoe Club faces the Potomac. To\nthe west the river bank is in its natural state.\n5. PHYSICAL CONDITION OF STRUCTURE Endangered\nFair\nFair\nInterior\nExterior\nC & 0 Canal\nCanoe\n7\nClub\nAqueduct\nK Street\nKey Bridge\nPotomac River\nZ\n6. LOCATION MAP (Plan Optional)\n7. PHOTOGRAPH\n3. PUBLISHED SOURCES (Author, Title, Pages)\n9. NAME, ADDRESS AND TITLE OF RECORDER\nINTERVIEWS, RECORDS, PHOTOS, ETC.\nWilliam R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nDATE OF RECORD\nSeptember, 1967\n269\n319-731 O-68-18\nWashington Canoe Club\nwest end of K Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n270\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\n3142 K Street\n(Georgetown)\nWashington, D. C.\nHISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY HABS No. DC-145\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nLocation:\n3142 K Street, N.W. (Georgetown), Washington, D.C.,\nsouth side, at the foot of Wisconsin Avenue.\nPresent Owner:\nDistrict of Columbia\nPresent Occupant: Vacant.\nPresent Use:\nNone. In 1967, the building is scheduled for demolition.\nStatement of\nThe building generated the electricity for Washington's\nSignificance:\ntransportation system from about 1911 to 1943. It is\nsuperior industrial architecture, and an impressive\nlandmark on the Georgetown waterfront.\nPART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION\nA. Physical History:\n1. Original and subsequent owners: The following is an in-\ncomplete chain of title to the land on which the powerhouse\nwas built. The site is Square 1174, lot 801 (old Square 4,\nlots 5 (west part), 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.) The references\nare all to the Recorder of Deeds, District of Columbia.\nPart of lot 5, and lots 6, 7, and 8:\n1818 Deed January 30, 1818 recorded February 10, 1818 in\nLiber AQ 41 folio 27\nWashington Bowie\nTo\nRichard Parrott\nWest part of lot 5, and all of lot 6, with the wharfs,\nbuildings, etc. on said property. Consideration\n$11,200.\n1835 Deed April 28, 1835 recorded July 7, 1835 in\nLiber WB 54 folio 263\nBank of U.S.\nTo\nWilliam H. Barker\nUndivided moiety of lots 7 and 8. Consideration, $300.\n1835 Deed May 13, 1835 recorded July 7, 1835 in\nLiber WB 54 folio 284\n273\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 2)\nWilliam H. Barker et ux Jeannette\nWilliam R. Thruston et ux Abigail E.\nTo\nRobert Mumby\nLots 7 and 8\n1836 Deed July 2, 1836 recorded July 4, 1836 in\nLiber WB 57 folio 225\nRobert Mumby et ux Rachel\nTo\nGeorge Chambers\nLots 7 and 8\n1852 Deed November 9, 1852 recorded November 24, 1852 in\nLiber JAS 48 folio 208\nGeorge Chambers\nTo\nFrancis Dodge Jr.\nAlexander H. Dodge\nTenants in common\nLots 7 and 8.\n1858 Assignment in Trust December 31, 1857 recorded Jan. 11, 1858\nin Liber JAS 147 folio 205\nFrancis Dodge (Jr.)\nAlexander H. Dodge\nTo\nHenry C. Mathews\nEdward Chapman\nSell and release all the lots including wharves\nin Georgetown on the south side of Water Street (K)\nbetween High (Wisconsin) and Congress (31st) Streets,\nand \"the warehouses thereon as lately occupied by\nthem and used as their place of business.\" This\ndocument lists also all other property they owned,\nincluding ships, and \"their stock in trade of sugar,\nflour and other merchant goods.\"\n1859 Deed in Trust July 19, 1858 recorded January 12, 1859 in\nLiber JAS 167 folio 342\nEdward Chapman\nHenry C. Mathews\ntrustees\nTo\nFrancis Dodge (Jr.)\nRobert P. Dodge\nAllen Dodge\ntrustees of Adeline, wife of Charles Lanman, and\nof Virginia, wife of Benjamin P. Poare, under will\n274\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 3)\nof late Francis Dodge Sr. (Will Book 6, folio 449,\nOctober 14, 1851.) This refers to the property\nof the 1858 deed. Lot 6 and the west half of lot\n5 (56' 5\" on K Street) sold for $16,000, \"being the\nwharf, lot, warehouse, and premises which were\nconveyed by Washington Bowie to Richard Parrott on\nJanuary 13, 1818....\"\n1873 Deed July 28, 1873 recorded September 17, 1873 in\nLiber 729 folio 193\nFrancis Dodge (Jr.)\nRobert P. Dodge\nAllen Dodge\nTrustees for\nAdeline Lanman\nVirginia Poare\nAdeline Lanman\nVirginia Poare\nFrances J. Dodge\nwife of Francis Dodge\nTo\nJohn W. Thompson\nPres. of the N.Y., Alexandria, Washington and\nGeorgetown steamship company (Corp. of N.Y.)\nLots 6, 7, 8 and west part of 5.\n1877 Deed May 25, 1877 recorded June 4, 1877 in\nLiber 856 folio 191\nJohn W. Thompson\nPresident of the N.Y., Alexandria, Washington\nand Georgetown Steamship Co., et ux Jennet\nTo\nThe Inland and Seaboard Coasting Co.\nPart of lot 5; 6, 7 and 8.\n1891 Deed July 14, 1891 recorded July 25, 1891 in\nLiber 1590 folio 418\nJohn W. Thompson\nNathaniel Wilson\ntrustees\nTo\nGeorge H. B. White\nPart of lot 5, all of 6, 7 and 8.\n1892 Deed February 6, 1892 recorded February 24, 1892 in\nLiber 1656 folio 293\nGeorge H. B. White\nTo\nSamuel C. Raub\nWest part of lot 5; lots 6, 7 and 8.\n275\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 4)\n1910 Deed May 6, 1910 recorded May 7, 1910 in\nLiber 3331 folio 64\nSamuel G. Cornwell\nWharton E. Lester\nHenry P. Blair\nsubstitute trustees under deed in trust from\nSamuel C. Raub, February 24, 1892, Liber 1649\nfolio 432 by decree in Equity case 23243\nTo\nThe Capital Traction Co.\nWest part of lot 5; lots 6, 7 and 8.\nLots 9 and 10:\n1808 Deed of November 4, 1807 recorded March 29, 1808 in\nLiber T folio 222\nJames C. King\nTo\nHenry Foxall\nConsideration $3500.\nAll of lots 10 and 9.\n1858 Deed January 20, 1858 recorded February 3, 1858 in\nLiber JAS 149 folio 98\nPhilip T. Berry\nDavid English\ntrustees of will of Henry Foxall\nand\nSamuel F. McKenny\nJohn G. McKenny\nMargaret Ann Osborn, nee McKenny\nCharles H. Cragin et ux Henrietta F., nee McKenny\nPhilip T. Berry et ux Sarah, nee McKenny\nand\nSamuel McKenny\nTo\nWilliam Redin\nLot 10, parts of lot 9.\nIncludes \"3 story brick warehouse and wharf\"\n(30' 3\" wide) \"subject to right of way ingress and\negress to and from High St. [Wisconsin] in and over\nthe same by the owners of the two lots and warehouses\neast of the premises.\"\nAlso lot adjoining (27'3\"), including \"2 story\nbrick warehouse on this lot and wharf adjoining,\"\non east is a \"similar warehouse\" also subject to\negress and ingress from east and west.\n276\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 5)\n1858 Deed January 20, 1858 recorded February 3, 1858 in\nLiber JAS 149 folio 93\nWilliam Redin\nTo\nSarah Berry\nwife of Philip T. Berry\nSame two lots as above.\n1883 Will of Sarah Berry dated April 19, 1882, probated\nMay 25, 1882. Will Book 20 folio 289.\n\"I devise to my son Philip T. Berry and his heirs\nthe three story brick warehouse situated at the S. E.\ncorner of Water [K] and High [Wisconsin] Streets\nand also the 2 story brick warehouse east of one\nadjoining the same with the ground belonging to\neach (2 conveyed by Redin: lot 10; part lot\n9; 57 1/2' on K St.)\n1883 Deed in Trust November 5, 1883 recorded November 23, 1883 in\nLiber 1062 folio 174\nPhilip T. Berry et ux Hattie C.\nTo\nCharles H. Cragin Jr.\nSecond of lots above: 27' 3\".\n1885 Deed in Trust April 3, 1885 recorded April 3, 1885 in\nLiber 1119 folio 153\nPhilip T. Berry et ux Hattie C.\nTo\nCharles H. Cragin\nCharles H. Cragin Jr.\n1905 Deed November 20, 1905 recorded December 5, 1905 in\nLiber 2959 folio 473\nCharles H. Cragin Jr.\ntrustee\nTo\nHenry C. Haneke\nRobert C. Cumberland\nLot 10 and west part of lot 9, i.e. same 2 parcels\nas above, 57 1/2 ft. on K St.\n1892 Deed September 30, 1892 recorded September 30, 1892 in\nLiber 1727 folio 340\nCharles H. Cragin\nTrustee\nEdith A. McCartney\nformerly Edith A. Cragin\nTo\nRichard F. Wainwright\nEast part of lot 9, 27'3\" on K St.\n277\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 6)\n1892 Deed in Trust October 8, 1892 recorded October 17, 1892 in\nLiber 1734 folio 467\nRichard F. Wainwright\nTo\nAugustus Bergdorf\nWilliam Hayde\nEast 27'3\" of lot 9. Consideration $11,152.80.\n1897 Deed in Trust November 20, 1897 recorded December 27, 1897 i\nLiber 2281 folio 162\nCharles M. McCarteney\ntrustee under trust from Richard F. Wainwright\nTo\nCharles H. Cragin\n1910 Deed May 10, 1910 recorded May 11, 1910 in\nLiber 3326 folio 259\nCharles H. Cragin\ntrustee\nTo\nThe Capital Traction Co.\n27'3\" of east side of lot 9.\n1906 Deed October 1, 1906 recorded October 1, 1906 in\nLiber 3016 folio 427\nHenry C. Haneke et ux Virginia M.\nRobert C. Cumberland et ux Charlotte E.\nTo\nJuliet M. Williams\nLot 10, west part lot 9.\n1909 Deed February 17, 1909 recorded February 18, 1908 in\nLiber 3218 folio 25\nCharles P. Williams et ux Juliet M.\nTo\nCatherine L. Herron\nHenry L. Roach\ntenants in common\n1910 Deed May 3, 1910 recorded May 14, 1910 in\nLiber 3314 folio 475\nCatherine L. Herron et vir W. Frank D.\nHenry L. Roach\nunmarried\nTo\nThe Capital Traction Co.\nLot 10, west part lot 9.\n278\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 7)\n1946 Deed September 25, 1946 recorded October 10, 1946 in\nLiber 8351 folio 508\nCapital Transit Co. (D.C. Corp.)\nTo\nReal Properties Inc. (Delaware Corp.)\nConsideration $250,000.\n1951 Deed October 18, 1951 recorded October 23, 1951 in\nLiber 9579 folio 564\nReal Properties Inc. (Corp. of Delaware)\nTo\nJohn Loughram\nPart lot 5, all of 6-10. Consideration $375,000.\n1963 Deed recorded June 13, 1963 in\nLiber 12013 folio 518\nJohn Loughram\nTo\nGeorge Basiliko\nPart of lot 5; 6-10.\n1963 Deed recorded June 13, 1963 in\nLiber 12013 folio 522\nGeorge Basiliko et ux\nTo\nThe Lumbermen's Company\n1964 Deed recorded March 1964 in\nLiber 12163 folio 383\nThe Lumbermen's Company\nTo\nSamuel F. Thomas\nPart of lot 5; 6-10.\n1967 Release recorded May 19, 1967 in\nLiber 12752 folio 480\nChasco Incorporated\nTo\nSamuel F. Thomas\nSame lots as above.\n2. Date of erection: 1910-1911. All the land was acquired by\nMay, 1910.\n3. Architect: Not ascertained.\n4. Original plans, construction, etc: None known.\n5. Alterations and additions: The interior rear hall shows\nconcrete block casings added to many of the steel support\nbeams. All original machinery has been removed.\n279\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 8)\n6. Important old views: The photograph taken 1861-62 by George\nN. Barnard (Library of Congress, Dept. of Prints and Photo-\ngraphs LC-USZ62-4571) shows the site, with the warehouses\nof Henry Foxall and the Dodge family.\nB. Historical Events Connected with the Structure:\n1. The following information is from the Georgetown Spectator,\nJuly 27, 1967, V. 5, no. 15, p. 3: \"The Capital Traction\nCo. built the power plant in 1910-11 to provide power for\nits streetcars, previously drawn by horses. It was built\nto be grand and stately by the owners of the firm, George-\ntown residents, who were well aware of its importance in\nthe heart of the Georgetown waterfront.\n\"At the height of its operation, the plant had twelve boilers\nwhich operated five turbo-generators producing 18,500\nkilowatts of electrical power which was in turn carried\nto four sub stations located through the city. Each sub-\nstation was fed by a high tension cable carrying 6,600\nvolts. At the sub-station, this power was converted to\n600-volt direct current and fed to conductor bars in the\ntracks to run the cars.\"\n2. Biographical information on Henry Foxall, who owned lots\n9 and 10 from 1808 to 1823:\nOne of the wealthiest men in Georgetown in the early 19th\ncentury was Henry Foxall, who owed much of his fortune to\nhis foundry which supplied armaments to the U.S. government.\nHe also, however, owned much real estate in Georgetown,\nand his name occurs in several of the deeds relating to\nthis waterfront area. Between 1808 and 1858 he (and after\n1823, his trustees) owned lots 9 and 10 at the foot of\nWisconsin Ave., which had three warehouses on them, one\nof three stories, and the others of two. Since the Corporation\nWharf was next to these (at the foot of Wisconsin) they were\nin a highly desirable location. This land is now covered\nby the western part of the Capital Transit Power Plant. He is also\nconnected with 1072 Thomas Jefferson Street, for in 1809 a\nDeed in Trust to Richard Parrott and John Mountz was made\nin order \"to secure Henry Foxall $1500 for 3 years,\" and\nin 1812 he actually purchased the house.\nThe Dictionary of American Biography, (1931) V. VI, p. 573\ngives a full outline of his life. In brief, he was born\nin England, May 24, 1758, emigrated to Ireland in 1794\nand continued his earlier work with iron. It was in Ireland\nthat his conversion to ardent Methodism took place. In\n280\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 9)\n1797 he came to Philadelphia, and with Robert Morris Jr.\nbegan the Eagle Iron Works. In 1800 he moved to Georgetown\nand established the Columbian Foundry, to be an important\ngovernment supplier. In 1815 he sold his foundry and the\nfollowing year went back to England. Returning to the\nUnited States, he was mayor of Georgetown from 1821 to 1823.\nHe returned to England in 1823, and died there December 11.\nHe had been a friend of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe,\nand had given generously to religious bodies.\nCordelia Jackson in \"People and Places of Old Georgetown,\"\n(Records of the Columbia Historical Society, V. 33-34,\n1932, p. 154) relates that Henry Foxall came to Georgetown\nin 1800: \"It was at the suggestion of Jefferson that Mr.\nFoxall came to Washington. He built a commodious house\non 34th Street between the canal and Water Street that\nis yet standing. He also erected an iron foundry at Spring\nHill, just above Georgetown on the Canal road, where he\nmade cannons for the government for 15 years. His were\nthe first bored cannon made in this country. It is said\nthat the battle of Lake Erie was delayed, Captain Perry\ngiving orders that not a gun should be fired, until Mr. Foxall's\ncannons arrived. They were dragged across the country by\noxen.'\nAlthough Foxall lived in Georgetown, and even built houses\nthere (Foxall Row) his famous foundry was situated further up\nthe river, above Georgetown University. In the account\nby Rev. Edward I. Devitt, \"Georgetown College in the Early\nDays,\" (CHS, v. 12, 1909, p. 34) we can glimpse that even\nso far removed from the town, its presence was not forgotten:\n\"The towers [of the North Building in Georgetown University,]\ngive it a chateau-like appearance. They were added not\nsolely for ornamental purposes; the concussions from the\ntesting of guns at the neighboring Foxall's foundry endangered\nthe walls of the original building, and the towers helped\nto secure strength and safety.\"\nThe most famous event connected with Foxall's Foundry was\nthe British invasion, and the subesquent largesse of Mr.\nFoxall. \"When the news came that the British were marching\nupon Washington, Foxall naturally feared that because of\nhis nationality, his foundry would be destroyed. Being\nan attendant at the Georgetown Methodist Church (to which\nall Methodists in Washington had to come, having no church\nof their own,) Foxall made a vow, that if the British should\nspare his foundry, he would erect a church of his faith\nin Washington. As the British approached, burning and\npillaging, a violent storm broke, accompanied by a cyclonic\nwind and the invading army hurried to the capitol, leaving\n281\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 10)\nthe foundry untouched. In accordance with his vow, Foxall,\nthat same year gave a plot of ground on what is now the\nnortheast corner of 15th and G streets [rather, 14th and\nL] and erected a substantial brick edifice. It was pro-\nfessedly named for the historic foundry in England where\nJohn Wesley held services, but presumably with Foxall's\nfoundry in mind.\" (from Reider's Guide Book of Washington,\nP. 202, quoted in CHS, V. 33-34, p. 154.) He also became\none of the first trustees of this church.\n\"Henry Foxall was a many-sided man and entered fully into\nthe activities and interests of the community He became\na director in one of the city banks; he owned a large\nbakery, the management of which he entrusted to his son-\nin-law, Samuel McKenney; he was a trustee and active stock-\nholder in the George-Town Importing and Exporting Company,\na prosperous concern in the shipping business with far-flung\noverseas connections; he was an investor in some of the\nWashington City unimproved lots; and he owned a considerable\namount of real estate in George-Town.\" (Harold Donaldson\nEberlein, and Cortland Van Dyke Hubbard, Historic Houses\nof George-Town & Washington City, Richmond, The Dietz\nPress, 1958., P. 75-76.)\nHe was also noted in the society of the times. \"Henry\nFoxall was a man of great wealth and culture, and his house\nwas the center of the most elegant hospitality. Among his\nvisitors and friends were Bishop Asbury, John Quincy Adams,\nGouvereur Morris, Francis Scott Key, and many other equally\ndistinguished persons. But Thomas Jefferson was probably\none of the most intimate, as he certainly was the most\nillustrious, of his friends.\" (Madison Davis, \"The Navy\nYard Section During the Life of the Rev. William Ryland,\"\nCHS, V. 4, 1901, P. 204.)\nBy 1878 the famous Foxall Foundry, which had been sold\nin 1815 to John Mason, had ceased its original use, and was the\nsite of milling and distilling.\nThe Georgetown Assessment records for 1800-07, just after\nMr. Foxall came to Georgetown, show the following: (National\nArchives Microcopy 605, Group 351, roll 7)\n1 lot improved on Frederick [34th Street] 4500\n3 horses\n300\n1 cow\n15\ncarriage\n200\nfurniture\n400\n$5415\n282\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 11)\n3. Biographical note on the Dodge Family, who owned warehouses\non lots 7 and 8, 1852-1858, and held other lots in trust:\nLots 7 and 8, fronting on the south side of K Street 92\nfeet, were owned by Francis Dodge, Jr. and Alexander H.\nDodge, his brother, from 1852 to 1858, although they\nappear to have been used by the Dodges until 1873. On these\nlots were warehouses, and wharves.\nThe Dodge family, who were merchants and importers, owned\ntheir first property at the southeast corner of Wisconsin\nand K Streets, (see HABS DC-100 and HABS DC-151) and also\nowned numerous warehouses along the south side of K Street\nfrom the 1820's onward. One such building standing in this\narea in 1839 is mentioned in the records of the Firemen's\nInsurance Co. of Washington and Georgetown (303 7th St.\nN.W.): \"$10,000 (in addition to the sum of $15,000 insured\nor to be insured on the same in other insurance companies)\non their stock of merchandise consisting of such articles\nas are usually kept for sale in wholesale grocery stores,\ncontained in the 3-story brick ware-house covered with\nshingles, occupied by them as a wholesale grocery store,\nsituated on the south side of Water Street between High and\nCongress streets in Georgetown, adjoined on the East by a\nbrick house, not adjoined otherwise.\" (Date of policy\nApril 25, 1839, reference number 645, page 148. Files of\nthe Commission of Fine Arts.)\n\"Col. Francis Dodge [Sr.] came to Georgetown in 1798 from\nHamilton, Essex County, Mass.; engaged in shipping with\nhis brother Allen, who had preceded him and who had secured\nthe contract for building a bridge across the Potomac.\nTogether they built up a business that grew into a large\ntrade with the West Indies, in their own vessels. His brother\nreturned to Massachusetts because of ill health and Mr.\nDodge continued the business with marked success, taking\nit through the trying period of 1812-1815. In 1807 he\nmarried Elizabeth Thomson, the family coming to Georgetown\nfrom Annapolis. In 1810 he purchased a commodious house\nfrom General James M. Lingan, a hero of the Revolution,\non the woutheast corner of 31st and Q Streets [illustration\npl. 29, V. 33-34] and cater-corner from Tudor Place....\"\n(Cordelia Jackson, \"People and Places of Old Georgetown,\"\nCHS, V. 33-34, p. 152-153.)\nHe was a pew holder at the Presbyterian Church of Georgetown\nin 1805 to 1808, and on April 6, 1821 participated (as one\nof the commissioners for erecting the building) in the\n283\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 12)\ncornerstone laying of the new Presbyterian church. President\nJames Monroe was also at the ceremony. In 1833 he was a\nmember of the Common Council of Georgetown.\nGeorgetown Assessment records, 1800-07, (National Archives\nMicrocopy 605, Group 351, roll 7) has the following entry:\n\"Allen Dodge: furniture, 80.\" An A. H. Dodge was treasurer\nof the Potomac Lodge No. 5 from 1855 to 1859. For further\ninformation on the Dodge family see HABS DC-100.\nWashington city directories provide the following information\nabout the Dodges during the period they owned these lots:\n1853 F. & A.H. Dodge, importers South side Water St between\nHigh [Wisconsin] and Congress [31st] Streets, Georgetown\nFrancis Dodge (deceased) family res. NE corner Gay\nand Congress [N. St. and 31st St.]\n1855 A.H. Dodge, flour merchant, res. 66 West St.\nF. & A.H. Dodge, shipping merchants 63 Water St.\nH. Dodge, warehouse 66 Water St.\nFrancis Dodge, commercial merchant 85 Water St.\nThese warehouses at 63 and 66 Water Street are undoubtedly\nthe ones at lot 6 and 7. The 1858 \"Assignment of Trust\"\n(Liber JAS 147, folio 205) refers to \"the warehouses thereon\nas lately occupied by them and used as their place of business\",\nand in the deed for lots 9 and 10 adjacent, of 1858 (Liber\nJAS 149, folio 98) refers to two brick 2-story warehouses\non the property next to it (i.e. on lots 7 and 8).\n4. Washington directories provide the following tenant infor-\nmation:\n1915-33 Capital Traction Co. power house, Southeast corner\nof Wisconsin and K Streets\n1935-41 Potomac Electric Power Co. (substation) 3142 K St.\n1942\nvacant.\nC. Sources of Information:\n1. Primary and unpublished sources: Recorder of Deeds, District\nof Columbia.\nWashington city directories.\nGeorgetown Assessment Record, 1800-07 (National Archives).\n2. Secondary and published sources: Records of the Columbia\nHistorical Society, Vol. IV, p. 204; Vol. XII, p. 34; Vol.\n33-34, pp. 152-154.\nDictionary of American Biography, New York, Charles Scrib-\nner's Sons, 1931, Vo. VI, p. 573.\nHarold Donaldson Eberlein and Cortlandt Van Dyke Hubbard,\n284\nCAPITAL TRANSIT CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 13)\nHistoric Houses of George-Town & Washington City, Richmond,\nVa., the Dietz Press, Inc., 1958, pp. 75-6\nGeorgetown Spectator (newspaper) July 27, 1967, vol. 5,\nNo. 15, pp. 1 & 3.\n3. Likely sources not yet investigated: D.C. Building permits,\nrecords of the D.C. Transit Co. (successor of Capital\nTraction Co.)\nPrepared by Daniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nPART II: ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION\nA. General Statement:\n1. Architectural character: The design of this powerhouse was\na conspicuous attempt by the Capital Traction Company\nto emphasize the importance of the streetcar system by\nbuilding an imposing structure at the southern terminus\nof Wisconsin Avenue. The structure can be compared with\nmany of the major edifices that appeared at the turn of\nthe century. Richardson's Romanesque influence is evident in\nthe massing and fenestration, but with Sullivan-like sensi-\ntivity in detail and materials. The fine handling of the\nwrought iron stairway, the Flemish bond brick walls, and\nthe fenestration indicate the care of the builder. There\nare fine interior spaces.\n2. Condition of fabric: Considering the poor maintenance the\nbuilding has received in the past years, the fabric is in\ngood condition. The Flemish bond remains well pointed and\nstructurally sound. The steel columns, though rusty, show\nno failures. Most windows are broken, the floors are littered,\nand the basement is flooded, but the structure is sound.\nB. Description of Exterior:\n1. Overall dimensions: An L shaped structure: 155' 7\" north\nside, 225' 0\" east side, 119' 0\" south end, which is at\nabout 60° angle with the east wall. The south hall (or\nell) which extends to the river is 99'0\" long on its west\nside, and is set in 45'0\" from the west. The north elevation\nhas sixteen bays, the west eight bays, the south three.\nThe northern hall is 68' 10\" deep. A basement story with\nsmall windows is below the south hall. Seeground plan sketch.\n285\n319-731 O-68-19\nCAPITAL TRANSIT CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 14)\n2. Foundations: Steel WF columns (some enclosed in cinder\nblocks) rest on concrete footings on the interior with\nload bearing Flemish bond brick walls on the exterior.\nOn the rear east elevation, the foundation is of cinder\nblock.\n3. Wall construction, finish and color: The walls have some\nof the finest brickwork in Georgetown. Red brick in Flemish\nbond encloses the power plant on all sides, except for the\nsouthern part of the east wall where cinder block in common\nbond has been substituted. Belt courses encircle the plant\nnear the top and at about the middle, in various combinations\nof common bond, Flemish bond, and header and vertical\nstretcher rows. Brick pilaster strips are evident at\nvarious locations about the building. A brick parapet\nencircles the upper roof and is capped by cast stone coping.\n4. Framing: The framing is composite WF steel columns and\nbeams. Recently, some of the columns have been enclosed\nin cinder block, probably for fireproofing. The walls about\nthe periphery are load bearing. The southern portion of\nthe east wall is common bond cinder block. Two large\nparallel steel tracks and the machinery which traveled\non them can be seen near the ceiling in the northern hall.\n5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc: A concrete retaining wall\nwith a steel pipe railing on the top holds the river bank\nto the south. Between the powerhouse and the retaining\nwall are steel tracks, perhaps used earlier by trains.\n6. Chimneys: There are two round tapering stacks, faced with\nyellow square fire brick; one rises from inside the powerhouse\nnear the east side, the other outside next to the west\nwall. They are about 63' in circumference at six feet\nabove the main floor, and about 220 feet tall.\n7. Openings:\na. Doorways and doors: The main street entrance, located\nnear the west corner of the north wall, is segmentally\narched and enframed in a cast stone architrave with\nsuperimposed keystone. The double wood doors are\npainted green. The drive-in door on the south wall of\nthe northern hall has diagonal wood planking. About\nmid-point in the south wall of the southern hall is a\nround arch opening containing double doors of 15 lights each\n(with a transom of two 6 light panels) and a fan light\nof 13 panes. Below this doorway is a wooden door\nof two small paired vertical panels opening into the\n286\nCAPITAL TRANSIT CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 15)\nbasement. On the west elevation at the southern corner\nare two wooden doors with an exterior steel stairway\nand landing.\nb. Windows and shutters: No shutters. The fenestration\nis composed partially of segmental arch openings with\ntriple course keystones and cast iron sills. This\noccurs mainly in the north hall, at the top of which is\na row of round arches, with six over six wooden framed\ndouble hung windows. Here a variation of the Palladian\nmotif occurs. Two vertical wooden casement windows\nwith two lights each flank the round arch opening.\nOn the west side of the northern hall is a filled-in\nround arch window with prominent keystone above three\nvertical 45 light projecting metal windows. On the\nsouth and west sides of the south hall the fenestration\nconsists of three large round arched openings. Below\na horizontal strip at the spring line is a forty-eight\nlight window, and above this line the semicircular\nopening contains about twenty-two lights. These are\nnow missing practically all their panes and many\nmuntins. Above these in a stepped back upper wall\nis a row of round arched windows with three panes and\nwooden fill in the circular opening. At the basement\nlevel are rectangular windows with formed stone openings\nand flat brick arches. Above the northern hip roof\nare a row of paired six light windows in rectangular\nopenings below a cast stone coping. Translucent and\ntransparent lights are evident in the remaining windows.\nA round window motif is continuous about the structure\ncreating a rhythm and uniformity which adds greatly to\nthe cohesiveness of the large powerhouse.\n8. Roof:\na. Shape, covering: A half hipped roof covers the northern\nprojection. The remaining roofs are concealed behind\nthe parapets.\nb. Cornice, eaves: Projecting cast stone copings crown the\nparapets. A cast stone cornice projects at the roof\nlevel (the base of the parapets). On the northern hall,\na stone string course, at the level of the window arch\nspring, runs the length of the facade on paired brackets.\nThe northernmost roof extends out in a simple wooden\neave.\nc. Dormers, cupolas, towers: None.\n287\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 16)\nC. Description of Interior:\n1. Floor plans: The northern hall is a large rectangular\ngymnasium-like space with three tiered galleries at the\nnorthern side. The southern hall has a \"basilican\" floor\nplan. Below this hall is a basement of rectangular shape\ndivided by the continuing columns. The basement of the\nnorthern hall is divided by partitions and columns.\n2. Stairways: Just inside the main entrance near the west\ncorner on the north side, is a quarter turn stair with\nlanding (run of 4, then 12), The newel posts are of cast\niron with delicate wave-like circular wrought iron decora-\ntion in the balustrade. The handrails are of carved wood.\nThe steps are of stone resting on perforated cast iron\n7 3/8\" risers. Three stairs, quarter-turn with landings,\nwind up the three tiers with round steel rails. The stairs\nare located in the southwest corner of the tiers.\n3. Flooring: Most of the flooring is concrete.\n4. Wall and ceiling finish: The interior walls are of common\nbond red brick some with headers at the sixth and ninth\ncourses; dark green glazed bricks; and cinder block. A\nsmall number of plaster walls occur also. The ceilings\nare of concrete and tin with steel rafters.\n5. Doorways and doors: In the northwest corner of the northern\nhall (which contains a brick section to the height of the\nfront hall with entrance stairs, doors to the gallery,\nand small rooms), doorways lead off the entrance landings.\nThe doorways have a segmental arch (double header row) above\na rectangular opening 2'8\" wide with a three panel wooden\ndoor, the upper panel being the largest. The door is painted\ngray and the door frame green. Since the green glazed\nface bricks reach to about 6 1/2' (to the spring of the\nbrick arch) the door frame thus continues the color of the\nhigh dado zone. Similar doorways are seen on the south\nwall of this brick stairway section, where originally the\ndoors must have given onto a walkway west of the galleries\nat the second and third floor levels. Now the doors are fixed\nclosed and there are no stairs or walkways on this wall.\nAt each end of the south wall of the northern hall there was\noriginally a segmental arch doorway. Each had a 6' x 7'\nrectangular opening with a segmental arch of double header\nrow above the green glazed face brick dado zone. These were\nthe entrances to each side of the southern hall, and contained\n288\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 17)\ntwo leaf wood doors. The eastern one has a later guillotine\ntype metal fire door. The western has been carefully bricked\nup, and the green glazed face. brick dado zone carried across.\nIn the center of this wall (the middle of seven bays formed\nby vertical steel columns against this wall) is a 10' X 10'\nopening, not original, cut through the wall, and closed\nwith a sliding metal fire door on the southern side. The\nsoffit is steel. Here the green brick is exposed, and can\nbe measured: 4 1/2\" x 3\" high X 8 1/2\" long (thus, larger\nthan the conventional bricks).\nSeveral other changes in door openings indicate that after\nits completion there was some considerable rearrangement of\ndoor positions and window openings in the Powerhouse. For\nexample, at the south end of the east wall (northern hall)\nan exit door has been carefully inserted in half of a large\nlunette window, and cut down through a stone sill to floor\nlevel. Another later door is on the main floor level,\nfrom the entrance stairway in to the northern hall. A\nsteel frame with a metal door is set in a concrete block\nwall, with a flat steel lintel.\n6. Decorative features and trim: The interior trim is the\nriveted steel structural system which appears like lattice\nwork about the side lights of the south hall. The stairways\nalso have decorative ironwork. The cast iron newels to the\nstairs have egg and dart and cyma reversa moldings.\n7. Notable hardware: None of note. A round steel railing\nencloses the tiered floors.\n8. Lighting: The lighting has been well handled by using\nclerestories and high side lighting along with numerous\nwindows in the walls at various levels. A few incandescent\nfixtures can still be seen.\n8. Heating: Nothing is evident.\nD. Site:\n1. General setting and orientation: The power house is flanked\non the east and west by railroad yards and parking lots.\nTo the north is the Whitehurst Freeway and K Street and to\nthe south the Potomac River.\n2. Enclosures: A metal cyclone fence extends southward from\nthe rear east wall to the top of the concrete retaining\nwall.\n289\nCAPITAL TRACTION CO. POWERHOUSE\nHABS No. DC-145 (Page 18)\n3. Outbuildings: None.\n4. Walks: Concrete walks and asphalt roads. A pair of tracks\nturn the rounded south-west corner and parallel the south\nwall.\n5. Landscaping: Various weeds, bushes and vines surround the\npowerhouse.\nPrepared by William R. Gwin\nStudent Assistant Architect\nNational Park Service\nSeptember, 1967\nand\nDaniel D. Reiff\nArchitectural Historian\nThe Commission of Fine Arts\nSeptember, 1968\n290\nSTOP\nCapital Traction Co. Powerhouse\n3142 K Street\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\nInterior, North section\nphoto: George Eisenman, 1967\n291\nVg\nOPEN\nEXCEPT\nFOR\nCOLUMNS\nMAIN FLOOR\nCapital Traction Co. Powerhouse\n3142 K Street\nsketch plans\n292\nAPPENDIX\nOLD GEORGETOWN ACT\nPublic Law 808 - 81st Congress - H.R. 7670\nD.C. Code 5-801, 64 Stat. 903\nAn Act To regulate the height, exterior design, and construction of\nprivate and semipublic buildings in the Georgetown area of the\nNational Capital.\nBe it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the\nUnited States of America in Congress Assembled, That there is here-\nby created in the District of Columbia a district known as \"Old\nGeorgetown\" which is bounded on the east by Rock Creek and Potomac\nParkway from the Potomac River to the north boundary of Dumbarton\nOaks Park, on the north by the north boundary of Dumbarton Oaks\nPark, Whitehaven Street and Whitehaven Parkway to Thirty-fifth\nStreet, south along the middle of Thirty-fifth Street to Reservoir\nRoad, west along the middle of Reservoir Road to Archbold Parkway,\non the west by Archbold Parkway from Reservoir Road to the Potomac\nRiver, on the south by the Potomac River to the Rock Creek Parkway.\nSec. 2. In order to promote the general welfare and to preserve\nand protect the places and areas of historic interest, exterior\narchitectural features and examples of the type of architecture\nused in the National Capital in its initial years, the Commissioners\nof the District of Columbia, before issuing any permit for the con-\nstruction, alteration, reconstruction, or razing of any building\nwithin said Georgetown district described in section 1 shall refer\nthe plans to the National Commission of Fine Arts for a report as to\nthe exterior architectural features, height, appearance, color, and\ntexture of the materials of exterior construction which is subject to\npublic view from a public highway. The National Commission of Fine\nArts shall report promptly to said Commissioners of the District of\nColumbia its recommendations, including such changes, if any, as in\nthe judgement of the Commission are necessary and desirable to\npreserve the historic value of said Georgetown district. The said\nCommissioners shall take such actions as in their judgment are right\nand proper in the circumstances: Provided, That, if the said Commission\nof Fine Arts fails to submit a report on such plans within forty-five\ndays, its approval thereof shall be assumed and a permit may be issued.\nSec. 3. In carrying out the purpose of this Act, the Commission\nof Fine Arts is hereby authorized to appoint a committee of three\narchitects, who shall serve as a board of review without expense\nto the United States and who shall advise the Commission of Fine\nArts, in writing, regarding designs and plans referred to it.\n295\nSec. 4. Said Commissioners of the District of Columbia, with\nthe aid of the National Park Service and of the National Park and\nPlanning Commission, shall make a survey of the \"Old Georgetown\"\narea for the use of the Commission of Fine Arts and of the build-\ning permit office of the District of Columbia, such survey to be\nmade at a cost not exceeding $8,000, which amount is hereby\nauthorized.\nSec. 5. Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed as\nsuperseding or affecting in any manner any Act of Congress hereto-\nfore enacted relating to the alteration, repair, or demolition of\ninsanitary or unsafe dwellings or other structures.\nApproved September 22, 1950.\n296\nThe documentation and recording of these structures\nwas begun in June, 1967 under the direction of the\nCommission of Fine Arts and the Historic American\nBuildings Survey. Daniel D. Reiff is a Teaching\nFellow and Ph. D. candidate in the Department of\nFine Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachu-\nsetts; William R. Gwin graduated from the School of\nArchitecture of Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama\nin 1967; George Eisenman, photographer, is with\nJoseph L. Dillon Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.\nField work was completed in September, 1967, and\nthe material was edited and prepared for publication\nby the Commission of Fine Arts in the summer of 1968.\n297\nU.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1968 0-319-731"
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